Potential Health Benefits and Risks of Beer

Benefits

A summary of the benefits of moderate consumption of beer specifically is provided in a booklet produced by the Brewers of Europe.

This booklet points out that beer contains a number of beneficial ingredients namely vitamins, antioxidants and essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium and silicon. It also suggests that beer contains compounds with anti-cancer causing properties.

CASCADE does not encourage consumption of alcohol on the basis of potential health benefits. CASCADE recommends that individuals obtain personalised, or more detailed, information on the benefits and risks that apply to them from their doctor.

Risks

Concerning specific risks which arise from drinking beer, the Australian Alcohol Guidelines notes, "In relation to the harmful health effects of alcohol, there are few areas where the type of drink is important: it is the amount drunk that is of primary importance. A possible exception is in relation to cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx and oesophagus. Alcohol is involved in causing many of these cancers, probably through direct contact with the mucous membrane lining of the mouth, throat, larynx and oesophagus, and studies suggest that drinks with a higher alcohol concentration pose a higher risk (Jaber et al 1998, Doll et al 1993)." [p 44, Part 2, Section 2 Alcohol and its Effects].

CASCADE does not encourage consumption of alcohol on the basis of potential health benefits. CASCADE recommends that individuals obtain personalised, or more detailed, information on the benefits and risks that apply to them from their doctor. For example, the NHMRC's synopsis of the Australian Alcohol Guidelines notes the risks of drinking alcohol cautioning that it "has the potential to cause much harm, and is second only to tobacco as a cause of drug-related deaths and hospitalisations…. People who drink regularly at higher levels place themselves at increased risk of chronic ill health and premature death…. These patterns of drinking also have substantial social and economic implications, not only for individuals, but also for families, workplaces, and society as a whole."