Beer drinkers, rejoice! Japanese researchers found a substance in beer that can actually prevent the deterioration of muscle tissue, at least in mice.
A flavonoid called 8-PN found in hops is thought to be responsible for the muscle-preserving impact of beer. But it would take from 22 to 5,000 gallons of beer to reach the effective daily dose of 8-PN.
To put that in perspective, there are roughly 11 beers in a gallon (based on a 12-ounce serving size), so to reach 22 gallons you'd need to chug 242 beers in one day — minimum. Not only would that be hard to accomplish, it could cause acute alcohol poisoning — even death.
The Japanese research team, led by Professor Junji Terao from Tokushima University, conducted the experiment on incapacitated mice, including ones with paralyzed legs. Researchers fed one group of mice food containing high levels of the 8-PN flavonoids.
Those mice retained more muscle mass than the group of mice that ate normal food with regular flavonoids, and another group that consumed no flavonoids.
Since researchers would never suggest drinking hundreds of beers per day to get enough 8-PN, Tereo's team is working to develop alternative ways to ingest 8-PN, according to the Japanese news site RocketNews 24.
Said Terao, "[We] can expect the development of drugs and health drinks enriched with prenylated flavonoids in the near future," reported RocketNews24.
Until then, you can still get health benefits from beer, so long as you drink in moderation. One prior study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that beer may protect bone health, thanks to its high silicon content.
Another study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that moderate daily consumption of beer can keep your mind sharp. Cheers to that.
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