Beer for life

Can drinking it slow the aging process? A new study in Austria says yes -- but that may not be enough to help large domestic brewers.

With St. Patrick's Day and March Madness soon upon us, Americans probably don't need any more reasons to toss back a few beers. But we'll give you some anyway.

Researchers in Austria and the Czech Republic -- two nations that drink more than their fair share of suds -- have just released studies that suggest that beer is an anti-inflammatory and can slow the aging process.

In a study published in the March issue of International Immunopharmacology, scientists at Austria's Innsbruck Medical University found that hops, a key ingredient in beer, affect the production of neopterin, a telltale sign of inflammation, and levels of the amino acid tryptophan (low levels are associated with more inflammation.)

Like red wine and green tea, whose health benefits have been widely reported, beer was found to reduce neopterin production and suppress degradation of tryptophan, according to the study. (Tryptophan is also commonly cited as the reason people feel tired after gorging on Thanksgiving turkey.)

"This suppression might be connected with the calming effect of beer," the researchers note, "since its normalizing effect on the tryptophan balance improves the availability of the 'happiness hormone' serotonin." And who wouldn't want happiness to be more available?

Here is the original study (Abstract) the article is based upon. For the science minded. :)

Beer down-regulates activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

C. Winklera, B. Wirleitnera, K. Schroecksnadela, H. Schennachb and D. Fuchsa, ,

aDivision of Biological Chemistry, Biocentre, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of AIDS-Research, Fritz Pregl Strasse 3, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
bCentral Institute of Blood Transfusion and Immunology, University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria

Received 15 June 2005; revised 25 July 2005; accepted 7 September 2005. Available online 29 September 2005.

Abstract
Moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages is suggested to reduce cardiovascular risk. Within this context, most attention is drawn to antioxidant ingredients of wine, but also beer was found to be beneficial. Potential effects of three different types of beer including alcohol-free beer were investigated using freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin in vitro. Neopterin production and tryptophan degradation were monitored in culture supernatants to determine effects of test substances on immunobiochemical pathways induced by interferon-ã. In a subgroup of experiments also production of interferon-ã was measured. Compared to unstimulated cells, phytohaemagglutinin increased production of neopterin and also triggered the degradation of tryptophan (all p < 0.01). All types of beer (2–4% dilution) were found to counteract these stimulation-induced effects and significant reduction of neopterin formation and tryptophan degradation was observed (p < 0.01). Data demonstrate that beer reduces production of neopterin and degradation of tryptophan, both these biochemical pathways are induced during cell-mediated immune response. Data suggest that the immunosuppressive capacity of beer may relate to its anti-inflammatory nature.

Keywords: Beer; Neopterin; Tryptophan; Indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase; Immunosuppression; Anti-inflammatory action

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W7N-4H6XNCT-1&_user=10&_handle=V-WA-A-W-WZ-MsSAYZA-UUW-U-AAVVYVZZVB-AAVWVWDVVB-DWUZUVYEY-WZ-U&_fmt=summary&_coverDate=03%2F31%2F2006&_rdoc=9&_orig=browse&_srch=%23toc%236631%232006%23999939996%23615286!&_cdi=6631&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=0257b096b7b073c5ea07993c2a1744dc

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