Moderate Alcoholic Beer Consumption: The Effects on the Lipid Profile and Insulin Sensitivity of Adult Men

Physiological Mechanisms by Which the Functional Ingredients in Beer Impact Human Health

Nutritional therapy, for example through beer, is the best solution to human chronic diseases. In this article, we demonstrate the physiological mechanisms of the functional ingredients in beer with health-promoting effects, based on the PubMed, Google, CNKI, and ISI Web of Science databases, published from 1997 to 2024. Beer, a complex of barley malt and hops, is rich in functional ingredients. The health effects of beer against 26 chronic diseases are highly similar to those of barley due to the physiological mechanisms of polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids), melatonin, minerals, bitter acids, vitamins, and peptides. Functional beer with low purine and high active ingredients made from pure barley malt, as well as an additional functional food, represents an important development direction, specifically, ginger beer, ginseng beer, and coix-lily beer, as consumed by our ancestors ca. 9000 years ago. Low-purine beer can be produced via enzymatic and biological degradation and adsorption of purines, as well as dandelion addition. Therefore, this review paper not only reveals the physiological mechanisms of beer in overcoming chronic human diseases, but also provides a scientific basis for the development of functional beer with health-promoting effects.

Chronic chloroquine and ethanol administration causes detrimental renal morphological changes in rats fed low protein

The aim of the study was to investigate the microscopic renal changes resulting from the concurrent administration of chloroquine and ethanol, with inadequate dietary protein using rats. Sixty-four rats were randomly distributed into eight groups of eight rats each: control groups on normal protein (NPC) or low protein diet (LPC); chloroquine treatment groups on normal protein (NPQ) or low protein diet (LPQ); ethanol treatment groups on normal protein (NPE) or low protein diet (LPE); concurrent chloroquine and ethanol treatment groups on normal protein (NPQE) or low protein diet (LPQE). Chloroquine in 0.9% normal saline was administered weekly to NPQ, LPQ, NPQE, and LPQE. While NPE, LPE, NPQE and LPQE received 6% ethanol in drinking water ad libitum, NPC and LPC received 0.9% normal saline and plain drinking water. After treatment, routine haematoxylin and eosin stain, Masson's trichrome stain for collagen, kidney volume estimation, glomeruli count, immunofluorescence for aquaporin 2 and urine volume estimation were conducted. The results showed a decreased kidney volume in all the experimental groups compared to the control. There was increased collagen fiber deposition and distortion of renal histology in the experimental groups compared to control. Concurrent administration of chloroquine and alcohol causes distortion of kidney histology and derangements of renal function in the low protein-fed rats and can cause kidney failure.

Functionality of Special Beer Processes and Potential Health Benefits

Consumers’ demand for functional fermented food that can fulfill nutritional needs and help maintain a balanced diet while also having a positive impact on one’s health status is increasing all over the world. Thus, healthy choices could include beverages with nutrients and bioactive compounds which can be used as an effective disease-prevention strategy. Regular beer has certain health benefits which inspire further research with the prospect of obtaining special functional beers with little or no alcohol content. As observed, the special beer market remains highly dynamic and is predicted to expand even further. Therefore, brewers need to keep up with the consumers’ interests and needs while designing special beers, namely nonalcoholic beers (NABs), low-alcohol beers (LABs), and craft beers (CBs). Thus, understanding the potential uses of bioactive compounds in special beer, the wide range of therapeutic effects, and the possible mechanisms of action is essential for developing healthier beverages. This review aimed to evaluate the nutritional features of special beers, and their proven or potential beneficial actions on one’s health status and in preventing certain diseases.

Validation of an analytical method using HS-SPME-GC/MS-SIM to assess the exposure risk to carbonyl compounds and furan derivatives through beer consumption

Compounds with toxic potential may occur in beer, such as carbonyl compounds (acetaldehyde, acrolein, ethyl carbamate [EC] and formaldehyde) and furan derivatives [furfural and furfuryl alcohol (FA)]. The objective of this study was, for the first time, to validate a method based on headspace-solid phase microextraction using a PDMS-overcoated fibre and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection in selected ion monitoring mode (HS-SPME-GC/MS-SIM) to investigate target carbonyl compounds and furan derivatives in beers. Analytical curves showed proper linearity with r² ranging from 0.9731 to 0.9960 for acetaldehyde and EC, respectively. The lowest LOD was found for acetaldehyde (0.03 µg L^-1), while the lowest LOQ value (1.0 µg L^-1) was found for acetaldehyde and EC, formaldehyde and furfural. Recovery (90% to 105%), intermediate precision and repeatability (lower than 13%), limits of detection and quantification (values below 2.5 μg L^-1) showed that the method is suitable to simultaneously quantify these compounds. EC was detected in only two samples (1 lager and 1 ale). Furfural was found in 37% and 82% of ale and lager beers, respectively. Acetaldehyde, acrolein, formaldehyde and FA were detected in all samples. However, acrolein was the only compound found in the commercial samples at a concentration capable of causing health risk. Besides furfural and FA, four other furan-containing compounds (5-methyl-2-furan methanethiol, acetylfuran, 5-methylfurfural and γ-nonalactone) were also found in beers, however, at levels low enough not to impose potential health risk.

Total, Neutral, and Polar Lipids of Brewing Ingredients, By-Products and Beer: Evaluation of Antithrombotic Activities

The in vitro antithrombotic properties of polar lipid constituents of malted grain (MG), pelleted hops (PH), brewer’s spent grain (BSG), spent hops (SH), wort, and bottled beer from the same production line were assessed in human platelets. The total lipids (TL) were extracted according to the Bligh and Dyer method and further separated into the total neutral lipids (TNL) and total polar lipids (TPL) extracts by counter-current distribution. The TL, TNL, and TPL extracts of all samples were assessed for their ability to inhibit platelet-activating factor (PAF) and thrombin-induced human platelet aggregation. The raw materials, by-products, wort, and beer lipid extracts all exhibited antithrombotic properties against PAF and thrombin. However, the beer TPL exhibited the lowest IC₅₀ values against PAF-induced (7.8 ± 3.9 µg) and thrombin-induced (4.3 ± 3.0 µg) platelet aggregation indicating that these polar lipids were the most antithrombotic. The lipid extracts tended to be more bioactive against the thrombin pathway. The fatty acid content of all the TPL extracts were assessed using GC-MS. The fatty acid composition of the most bioactive TPL extracts, the wort and the beer, shared similar fatty acid profiles. Indeed, it was noted that fermentation seems to play a role in increasing the antithrombotic properties of polar lipids against PAF and thrombin by moderately altering the polar lipid fatty acid composition. Furthermore, the use of brewing by-products as a source of functional cardioprotective lipids warrants further investigation and valorisation.

Lipid metabolism genetic risk score interacts with the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised and its components to influence the odds for dyslipidemia in a cross-sectional population-based survey in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Dyslipidemia can be influenced by genetic and dietary risk factors.

AIM

This study set out to investigate diet and genetic variations in Brazilian people in a cross-sectional population-based survey and to analyze the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes involved in lipid metabolism and cardiometabolic-related phenotypes using a genetic risk score (GRS).

METHODS

We recruited 228 adults (mean age 36.5 years) who participated in the Health Survey of São Paulo (HS-SP), Brazil. Clinical and anthropometric parameters, as well as the interaction between the GRS and the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (BHEI-R) were evaluated. We analyzed the relationship between SNPs in APOA5 (rs662799), APOB (rs693, rs1367117), LDLR (rs688, rs5925) and LIPC (rs2070895, rs1800588) and cardiometabolic-related phenotypes using a GRS.

RESULTS

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels were associated with the BHEI-R ( p=0.026; β= -0.183) and with its SoFAAS component (solid fats, alcoholic beverages and added sugars) ( p=0.007; β=0.279). Non-HDL cholesterol levels were associated with the BHEI-R vegetable component ( p=0.015; β=0.002) and the meat, eggs and beans component ( p=0.003; β=0.007). Triacylglycerol levels were associated with the BHEI-R vegetable component ( p=0.027; β=0.003); the meat, eggs and beans component ( p=0.041; β=0.001); and the total protein component ( p=0.013; β=0.032). Significant effects were observed for the interactions between the GRS and both the BHEI-R oils component ( p=0.019) and the SoFAAS component ( p<0.001) on the dyslipidemia risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The evaluation of dietary quality, especially fat quality, together with the lipid metabolism GRS could be a useful tool to manage cardiometabolic risk.

Could hop-derived bitter compounds improve glucose homeostasis by stimulating the secretion of GLP-1?

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) is by far the greatest contributors to the bitter property of beer. Over the past years, a large body of evidence demonstrated the presence of taste receptors in different locations of the oral cavity. In addition to the taste buds of the tongue, cells expressing these receptors have been identified in olfactory bulbs, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. In the gut, the attention was mainly directed to sweet Taste Receptor (T1R) and bitter Taste Receptor (T2R) receptors. In particular, T2R has shown to modulate secretion of different gut hormones, mainly Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1), which are involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and the control of gut motility, thereby increasing the sense of satiety. Scientific interest in the activity of bitter taste receptors emerges because of their wide distribution in the human species and the large range of natural substances that interact with them. Beer, whose alcohol content is lower than in other common alcoholic beverages, contains a considerable amount of bitter compounds and current scientific evidence shows a direct effect of beer compounds on glucose homeostasis. The purpose of this paper is to review the available literature data in order to substantiate the novel hypothesis of a possible direct effect of hop-derived bitter compounds on secretion of GLP-1, through the activation of T2R, with consequent improvement of glucose homeostasis.

Beer Polyphenols and Menopause: Effects and Mechanisms-A Review of Current Knowledge

Beer is one of the most frequently consumed fermented beverages in the world, and it has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. Scientific evidence obtained from the development of new techniques of food analysis over the last two decades suggests that polyphenol intake derived from moderate beer consumption may play a positive role in different health outcomes including osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk and the relief of vasomotor symptoms, which are commonly experienced during menopause and are an important reason why women seek medical care during this period; here, we review the current knowledge regarding moderate beer consumption and its possible effects on menopausal symptoms. The effect of polyphenol intake on vasomotor symptoms in menopause may be driven by the direct interaction of the phenolic compounds present in beer, such as 8-prenylnaringenin, 6-prenylnaringenin, and isoxanthohumol, with intracellular estrogen receptors that leads to the modulation of gene expression, increase in sex hormone plasma concentrations, and thus modulation of physiological hormone imbalance in menopausal women. Since traditional hormone replacement therapies increase health risks, alternative, safer treatment options are needed to alleviate menopausal symptoms in women. The present work aims to review the current data on this subject.