Moderate consumption of beer and its effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health

There is growing interest in the potential health-related effects of moderate alcohol consumption and, specifically, of beer. A review provides an assessment of beer-associated effects on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors to identify a consumption level that can be considered “moderate”. The authors identified all prospective clinical studies and systematic reviews that evaluated the health effects of beer published between January 2007 and April 2020. Five of six selected studies found a protective effect of moderate alcohol drinking on cardiovascular disease (beer up to 385 g/week) vs. abstainers or occasional drinkers. Four out of five papers showed an association between moderate alcohol consumption (beer intake of 84 g alcohol/week) and decreased mortality risk.
The reviewers concluded that moderate beer consumption of up to 16 g alcohol/day (1 drink/day) for women and 28 g/day (1–2 drinks/day) for men is associated with decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality, among other metabolic health benefits.
Source: Marcos A, Serra-Majem L, Pérez-Jiménez F, Pascual V, Tinahones FJ, Estruch R. Moderate Consumption of Beer and Its Effects on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health: An Updated Review of Recent Scientific Evidence. Nutrients. 2021; 13(3):879.