[gardeniyas]

A pint of beer is better for you after a workout than water, say scientists
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE - 2nd November 2007


Yesterday we were warned of the health dangers associated with alcohol - not to mention bacon, ham and sausages.

Today there is more cheering news from a different set of scientists.

They have come up with the perfect excuse for heading to the pub after a game of football or rugby.

Their research has shown that a glass of beer is far better at rehydrating the body after exercise than water.

Researchers suspect that the sugars, salts and bubbles in a pint may help people absorb fluids more quickly.

The finding, which comes from a study at Granada University in Spain, will be welcome news for the legions of evening and weekend sports enthusiasts who enjoy a postmatch pint.

It will also ease the worries of those still digesting the report from the cancer experts who linked alcohol and other products to an increased risk of some forms of the disease.

Professor Manuel Garzon, of Granada's medical faculty, made his discovery after tests on 25 students over several months.

They were asked to run on a treadmill under stifling temperatures of 40C (104F) until they were close to exhaustion.

Once they were on the point of giving up, researchers measured their hydration levels, concentrationability and motor skills.

Half were then given two half pints of Spanish lager to drink, while the rest were given water.

Both groups were then allowed to drink as much water as they wanted.

Professor Garzon said the rehydration effect in the students who were given beer was "slightly better" than among those given only water.

He believes the carbon dioxide in beer helps quench the thirst more quickly, while beer's carbohydrates replace calories lost during physical exertion.

Based on the studies, the researchers have recommended moderate consumption of beer - 500ml a day for men or 250ml for women - as part of an athlete's diet.

A typical person loses around a litre of water for every hour of exercise in sweat.

People who fail to rehydrate after exercise are more likely to feel tired, fuzzyheaded and suffer headaches.

A spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale said "moderate levels" of beer had beneficial health effects.

Past studies have shown that sensible drinking of one or two units a day can reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes and Parkinson's disease, he said.

The ingredients of beer - which include malted barley, hops and yeast - are rich sources of vitamins and minerals.

Dr James Betts, an expert in post-exercise rehydration at Bath University, said: "People think of alcohol as being a diuretic, but if you are already hydrated, a small amount of beer could be a way of getting the fluid in."

The best way of rehydrating after exercise was with a sports drink containing sugars, water and salt, he added.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

[Eujacwta]

Isn't science wonderful?

...but ONLY 500ml? Can I have the 750ml left in your glass then?

[PetraCromlich]

I put salt in my first pint after practice. Old Irish laborer's trick.

[Bobobsdo]

This applies more so to good quality lager, some of the more well known lagers loose a lot of goodness because of the accelerated brewing through the use of chemicals.

I believe in the days London's water was completely unsanitary and sewage drainage would regularly contaminate water sources it was common for people in certain areas to drink beer instead water, in fact some neighbourhoods close to breweries showed less plague related deaths, as the beer was more higienic due to the fermentation process.

Beer loves you, and you should love it back.

[thierabess]

Yeah, we're not talking about "cooking lagers" here. Shove Carling right up your nipsy.

A bag of crisps is under-rated and misunderstood, great for topping up salts... and they don't tast like arse, which i am sure a salted pint of Wife Beater would.

[leyliana]

I put salt in my first pint after practice. Old Irish laborer's trick.

Why ?

Is that it technically then not not alcohol ?

or is there a practical reason

[pitoufsd]

Sweat, me boyo, is water and salt.

[bZEUWO4F]

Sweat, me boyo, is water and salt.

Ah i was looking for meanings not there ! DOH !
thanks for the reality check

[AlekseyZubkov]

This applies more so to good quality lager, some of the more well known lagers loose a lot of goodness because of the accelerated brewing through the use of chemicals.

I believe in the days London's water was completely unsanitary and sewage drainage would regularly contaminate water sources it was common for people in certain areas to drink beer instead water, in fact some neighbourhoods close to breweries showed less plague related deaths, as the beer was more higienic due to the fermentation process.

Beer loves you, and you should love it back.

I thought it was because the water was boiled as part of the brewing process & it was common accross medieval england to drink beer rather than water

as a side note, on holiday in Goa some time back , all the guys were drinking kingfisher lager in the evenings
the ladies (inc my ex) used to drink bottled water
In the mornings the guys would be queuing up at the chemists to get anti sickness treatments for the ladies

cheers (hic)

[Plaumpholavup]

I thought it was because the water was boiled as part of the brewing process & it was common accross medieval england to drink beer rather than water

..

In short: white man drank beer, asian man drank tea.

Both make the water sterile.

[Krruqgwt]

We have an advantage over the japanese there, since we have better beer, and thus can rehydrate in a better way..;-)

[gghrdfffhfyj]

This applies more so to good quality lager, some of the more well known lagers loose a lot of goodness because of the accelerated brewing through the use of chemicals.

I believe in the days London's water was completely unsanitary and sewage drainage would regularly contaminate water sources it was common for people in certain areas to drink beer instead water, in fact some neighbourhoods close to breweries showed less plague related deaths, as the beer was more higienic due to the fermentation process.

Beer loves you, and you should love it back.

I thought it was because the water was boiled as part of the brewing process & it was common accross medieval england to drink beer rather than water

as a side note, on holiday in Goa some time back , all the guys were drinking kingfisher lager in the evenings
the ladies (inc my ex) used to drink bottled water
In the mornings the guys would be queuing up at the chemists to get anti sickness treatments for the ladies

cheers (hic)

I have done tours of three breweries - John Smiths, Tadcaster; Heineken, Amsterdam; Camerons, Hartlepool - and all three agreed that beer was developed to counter the fact that drinking river water was unhealthy.

The problem came from the fact that most towns and villages at the time of beer development were based next to rivers. The river also was the public toilet, public laundry, public baths etc etc so you can see the problem. Before beer there was mead type drinks but these were expensive and therefore reserved for the wealthy so beer was developed as a cheap alternative which involved boiling water and the addition of yeast with other ingredients. Over time beer was developed through taste as much as its 'medicinal' qualities.

if this information is wrong please write to Heiniken, John Smiths and Camerons.

[DumErrory]

Both are wimps for recovery. Here is the real quill:

(WebMD) During a 2004 Summer Olympics awash in controversies over steroids and supplements, one sportswriter wryly noticed that top American swimmer Michael Phelps was playing it safe -- he preferred to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast between races.

Now it appears that the six-time gold medalist may have been onto something. A new study shows that plain old chocolate milk may be as good -- or better -- than sports drinks like Gatorade at helping athletes recover from strenuous exercise.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was small in scale; it was partially funded by the dairy industry. But dietitians say the study should help to counter the notion that high-tech, expensive supplements are better than whole foods when it comes to athletic performance. They also note that milk contains key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, in quantities that sports drinks can’t match.

"[Milk] is a sports drink ‘plus,’" Keith Ayoob, EdD, a registered dietitian and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, tells WebMD. "It will supply you with things you need whether or not you’re working out."

The study builds on findings that intense endurance exercise reduces the muscles’ supply of stored glucose, or glycogen, a key source of fuel for exercise. To maximize glycogen replacement, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Dietetic Association recommend taking in a serving of carbohydrates within 30 minutes after a long and vigorous workout.
That's a little disappointing, isn't it?

[Borzopayn]

Just thinking, I could be mistaken about the fermentation there, I'll check it up. Logic tells me boiling had to have more of an effect, so I think Phil might be right.

[yovbQVpD]

I stand corrected

The key to this is the fact that all beer production involved boiling and simmering of the brew, rendering it fairly sterile. Read the Postcript here

[stoneeZef]

iirc the beer that was consumed due to poor water quality had a far lower alcohol content than what you would probably find in a bar...

[megatrendsZ]

The samurai knew that.
It is commn knowledge that kendo was invented so you could drink more beer.

Seriously though, the study was water versus beer.

The professor didn't consider other isotonic and carbohydrate replacement drinks to compare against beer and water.

Water has almost no salts and certainly no carbohydrates.

Other things to consider -

• Beer is a diuretic so you will pass water as urine at a higher rate, therefore I wonder if re-hydration is as effective after beer.
• If you have an injury, the alcohol in the beer will increase the bleeding, reduce oxygen flow to the injured area and inhibit recovery.

Apart from that - CHEERS!

[MicoSiru]

Other things to consider -

• Beer is a diuretic so you will pass water as urine at a higher rate, therefore I wonder if re-hydration is as effective after beer.
• If you have an injury, the alcohol in the beer will increase the bleeding, reduce oxygen flow to the injured area and inhibit recovery.

Apart from that - CHEERS!

If you drink diuretics regularly your body tends to adapt and change how much water it retains inside your cells. Therefore to counter beers diuretic qualities simply make your body used to it....DRINK MORE!!! As for the injury part, well yes, but beer numbs the pain so you won't feel yourself bleeding out and you'll die peacefully and happily in your fav pub.

[tipokotap]

I'll be putting this to the test tonight.

[Juersdodfs]

Well, we certainly don't gather for "second dojo" afterwards for the water....