Beer As Medicine (eBook)

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR ANY TYPE OF ALCOHOL

BREAST CANCER

In a 2018 study by the American Institute for Cancer Research [55], which was based on more than fifty studies of premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer, concluded that alcohol consumption is a “probable cause” and a “convincing cause” for premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, respectively. A ten-gram increase in alcohol consumed per day on average, the risk increased by five percent among premenopausal women and nine percent among postmenopausal women. (A standard drink contains approximately fourteen grams of alcohol). The cited study did not include men (Breast cancer is often thought of as something that only affects women, but men can get it in rare cases. It grows in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples. It usually happens in men over sixty, but can very occasionally affect younger men).

Summary. My recommendation is safer: for women is a half standard drink a day, (i.e., seven grams of alcohol four or five days a week which is below the risk level of ten grams). However, I recommend avoiding alcohol for people with breast cancer!

GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER

As per the textbook (Van den Brandt et al., 2006) [56], alcohol increases the risk of esophagus, gastric, and colorectal cancer. Among others, being overweight or obese are important risk factors for these types of cancer, especially in men. After reviewing multiple articles, Vanella et. al. (2019) [57] concluded that “moderate alcohol intake increases the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colorectal cancer. Heavy alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of gastric and pancreatic cancers.”

Summary. I suggest not even light, but ultra-light drinking, which is much safer. However, again, I recommend that gastrointestinal cancer patients avoid drinking alcohol.

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

NOT EVEN A DROP OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS,

BUT ALCOHOL-FREE BEER CAN STIMULATE

BREAST MILK PRODUCTION

After giving birth, a new mother has many important decisions to make. One is to choose whether to breastfeed or bottle feed the baby using infant formula. The formula is an easy choice, especially for working women. Breastfeeding is the healthiest option for your baby and… for you. Leading health experts recommend feeding babies only breast milk for the first six months and then continuing to use breast milk as the main part of their diet until they are one to two years old. Breast milk contains only the necessary amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Breast milk also gives your baby the digestive enzymes, minerals, vitamins, hormones, and flavors the baby needs. In addition, the child receives antibodies and other immune factors from its mother that can help your child fight off certain infections. A breastfeeding mother has a lower risk of developing breast cancer, some types of ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis. Alcohol is a major barrier to normal pregnancy and subsequent breastfeeding. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are a group of conditions that can occur in a baby who has been exposed to alcohol before birth. These disorders can be prevented if the baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth. As I said earlier, if you are planning to have a healthy baby, both future parents should abstain from alcohol until the woman becomes pregnant and the future mom (and dad is ideal too!) should avoid drinking during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Avoiding alcohol by women at conception and during pregnancy is an extremely important step to take to maximize your chances of having a healthy baby; but judging by recent research, this may not be enough. According to several studies, a baby can be born with a fetal alcohol condition even if the mother never drank at conception or during pregnancy. How? This is due to drinking at conception and the alcohol habits of …a future dad. Zhang et al (2020) [58] analyzed 41,747 cases with babies with congenital heart disease and compared them with 297,587 healthy newborns. Overall, alcohol exposure to both the expectant mother and the expectant father was significantly associated with the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring. Binge drinking was even worse. It goes without saying that breastfeeding moms should avoid drinking alcohol. Infant adverse effects due to alcohol exposure during breastfeeding so far have not been well established; however, there have been cases of impaired motor development, changes in sleep patterns, decreased milk consumption, and hypoglycemia (Koren, 2002) [59]. All alcoholic beverages are contraindicated. If the alcohol exposure happened, Koren (2002) [59] recommended, “nursing mothers who choose to drink alcohol during the postpartum period should carefully plan a breastfeeding schedule by storing milk before drinking and waiting for complete elimination of alcohol from their breast milk after drinking”. What about drinking non-alcoholic beer while pregnant and breastfeeding? Conventional wisdom states that moderate beer consumption can be helpful in initiating breastfeeding and increasing breastfeeding success. Modern science has proven that it is not alcohol but other beneficial components of beer that are responsible for successful and healthy breastfeeding. The non-alcoholic beer stimulates the secretion of prolactin, a hormone that enhances breast milk production. This is because the barley in beer contains a polysaccharide that boosts milk flow. What’s more, drinking beer with zero alcohol content may also increase antioxidants in breast milk (Koletzko and Lehner, 2000) [60]. The non-alcoholic components of beer enrich breast milk with antioxidants and help reduce the amount of compounds associated with oxidative stress in the mother’s body. But pay attention to labels! Non-alcoholic beer must contain no alcohol at all; however, many beer makers use officially labeled “non-alcoholic” beers containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) as non-alcoholic. Some “non-alcoholic” beer brands may contain higher levels of ethanol than indicated on their labels. Since the safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is unknown, abstaining from “non-alcoholic” beer will eliminate any risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. While it is likely that moderate consumption of such “non-alcoholic beer” will not harm breastfed infants, delaying breastfeeding for a short time after drinking such beverages ensures that the infant is not exposed to alcohol (Adiong et al., 2014) [61]. Schneider et al. (2013) [62] studied fifteen healthy breastfeeding women who participated in the study. After at least five days of abstinence from ethanol and the donation of a void breast milk sample, they were asked to drink 1.5 liters of non-alcoholic beer within one hour. Breast milk samples were collected using electronic breast pumps immediately after the end of drinking as well as one and three hours later. The milk was analyzed for ethanol. Authors concluded: “The mothers’ consumption of non-alcoholic beer is likely innocuous for the breastfed infant.”

For a healthy baby, successful breastfeeding, and your own benefit, drink only alcohol-free beer (not “non-alcoholic”) with 0.0% ABV such as Heineken 0.0% Non-Alcoholic Beer, Carlton Zero, Bitburger Drive 0%. Plus, these brands are lower in calories than their regular counterparts.

Summary. Breastfeeding is the healthiest option for baby and mother. Don’t poison your baby with alcohol. Do not drink alcohol during the entire period of breastfeeding. Alcohol exposure to both the expectant mother and the expectant father was significantly associated with the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring. Binge drinking was even worse. A zero-alcohol beer is good for you and may be for your baby too, but wait at least one hour after drinking and breastfeeding.

CIRRHOSIS AND OTHER LIVER DISEASE

Alcohol is a major risk factor for developing cirrhosis of the liver, with the risk being increased when alcohol is consumed in large quantities. (Roerecke et al., 2019) [63].

Cirrhosis is scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term damage to the liver. Scar tissue interferes with normal liver function. Cirrhosis is sometimes called end-stage liver disease because it occurs after other stages of damage caused by conditions that affect the liver, such as hepatitis. If you already have severe cirrhosis or other liver disease, you should stop drinking alcohol. There is no safe amount of alcohol for people with any type of alcoholic liver disease.

Summary. Although an ultra-light dose of alcohol is extremely unlikely to cause liver damage, a safe dose of alcohol for liver disease has not been established. As you will see later, alcohol-free beer is safe for cirrhosis of the liver.

PANCREATITIS

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. It can be sudden (acute) or ongoing (chronic). The most common causes are alcohol abuse and hard formations (gallstones) in the gallbladder. The goal of treatment is to rest the pancreas and allow it to heal. Heavy alcohol use increases the risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis (Klochkov, 2022) [64]. Do not drink alcohol if you have acute or chronic pancreatitis.

Summary. If you have been diagnosed with pancreatitis, you should stop drinking alcohol completely. Your pancreas won’t be able to work properly, and any alcohol can worsen the condition, causing more damage to your pancreas. The damage from chronic pancreatitis can be...