Insights & Discussion
Moderate beer consumption could potentially alleviate menopausal symptoms by influencing the internal estrogen receptors through the phenolic compounds present in beer.
The study used the developments in food analysis techniques over the past two decades to explore the correlation between the intake of polyphenols from moderate beer consumption and the relief of vasomotor symptoms often experienced during menopause. The focus was on phenolic compounds present in beer like 8-prenylnaringenin, 6-prenylnaringenin, and isoxanthohumol and how they interact directly with intracellular estrogen receptors to influence gene expression and sex hormone plasma concentrations.
The observed results pointed to the potential positive effects of moderate beer consumption on menopausal symptoms. It was inferred that phenolic compounds in beer could interact directly with intracellular estrogen receptors, leading to a modulation of gene expression, thereby balancing physiological hormone imbalance in menopausal women. This alternative could serve as a safer option for alleviating menopausal symptoms as traditional hormone replacement therapies have known health risks. However, these findings need to be viewed keeping in mind the implications of beer consumption on overall health.
Discover Related Insights
Moderate daily consumption of beer, both with and without alcohol, can significantly alleviate menopause-related symptoms and improve cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
2021 Nutrients Moderate Consumption of Beer (with and without Ethanol) and Menopausal Symptoms: Results from a Parallel Clinical Trial in Postmenopausal Women Trius-Soler M, Marhuenda-Muñoz M, Laveriano-Santos EP, Martínez-Huélamo M, Sasot G, Storniolo CE, et al.
Beer Cardiovascular Disease Menopause
In the research, 37 postmenopausal women were voluntarily put through a parallel controlled intervention trial, involving three study groups. The trial involved 16 women consuming beer with alcohol (330 mL/day), 7 women consuming non-alcoholic beer (660 mL/day), and 14 women as control.
In assessing the results, it was found that both interventions, beer with and without alcohol, substantially reduced the severity of menopause-associated symptoms. Specifically, beer with alcohol positively contributed to reducing psychological discomforts linked to menopause when compared to the control group. It was additionally noted that these beneficial effects could be traced to the non-alcoholic section of the beer, as the sex hormone profile remained largely unchanged across the different study groups. In addition, the group that consumed non-alcoholic beer conveyed improvements in their lipid profiles and exhibited lower blood pressure levels, indicating better cardiovascular health.