News
Diet and cancer risk: the role of alcohol consumption
Based on an umbrella review, which is a review of existing meta-analyses, there is strong or highly suggestive evidence that alcohol consumption is positively associated with risk of postmenopausal breast, colorectal, esophageal, head & neck, and liver cancer.
Is alcohol consumption associated with risk of overweight? A meta-analysis
Alcohol contains a lot of energy. With 7 kcal per gram it is the second most energy dense nutrient after fat (9 kcal per gram). Does that mean drinking alcohol is associated with overweight and obesity? Results are still inconsistent. A recent meta-analysis looks at almost 130 studies and finds different results per study design. Heavy alcohol drinkers have a higher risk of overweight and abdominal obesity than non-alcohol or light drinkers in cross-sectional studies, but this is not the case in cohort studies.
Beer and sports: what does science say?
A lot of people enjoy a beer together after they exercised. But is this smart? A review looks at all the available experimental studies to come up with advice: low-alcoholic beer, preferably with added sodium, may help with rehydration after exercise. If you do drink regular beer, you should limit your consumption and pair it with non-alcoholic options. Apart from rehydration, drinking non-alcoholic, polyphenolic-rich beer could be an effective strategy for preventing respiratory infections during heavy training.
Effect of alcohol on venous thromboembolism: a meta-analysis
Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a decreased risk in cardiovascular disease. But there is still limited research on the relation between alcohol consumption and the risk of blood clot formation in veins, also called venous thromboembolism. A recently published meta-analysis1 finds a small decreased risk for low to moderate alcohol consumption.
Green tea, alcohol and coffee associated with lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia: a meta-analysis
Society is aging and the burden of cognitive impairment and dementia increases. A recent meta-analysis investigates whether alcohol, coffee and tea consumption affect the risk of developing these health issues. All three seem to be related to a lower risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. With alcohol the decreased risk is only present with less than one drink a day, and coffee with less than 2.8 cups.
Alcohol and sickness absence from the workplace: a meta-analysis
Drinking alcohol, especially heavy drinking, can lead to sickness absence from the workplace. This can have economic consequences due to decreased productivity. A recently published meta-analysis is the first to conduct a dose-response analysis. It finds a J-shaped association: binge drinking and heavy drinking increase the risk of sickness absence compared to light to moderate drinkers. But non-drinkers also have a higher risk than light to moderate drinkers.
Alcohol and risk of lupus: a meta-analysis
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage. Not much research has been done towards the role of alcohol, but a recent meta-analysis finds that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk to develop systemic lupus erythematosus: the most common type of lupus.
First winner Beer and Health Publication Award
Out of many applications from all over the world, the Scientific Committee of the Beer and Health Initiative elected Víctor Micó, a Spanish Postdoc at IMDEA Food Institute, as the winner of the Beer and Health Publication Award 2020. The quality of his study towards the effect of alcoholic and non- alcoholic beer on plasma and macrophage microRNAs in men with cardiovascular risk was outstanding and very original. Dr Micó receives a monetary prize of €1,000 and will present his research at the next Beer and Health symposium.
Effect of alcohol on stomach cancer further investigated. A meta-analysis
The relation between alcohol consumption and stomach cancer is not fully understood. A recent meta-analysis finds that the relationship between the two is only significant in China and only for cardia stomach cancer, where the tumor develops in the top of the stomach. Results show no difference between wine, beer and spirits.
Which parts of the brain are triggered by alcohol? A meta-analysis
Many of you have probably experienced that alcohol has an effect on brain functions when drinking. But what are the exact effects? A recently published meta-analysis looks at all the randomised trials and finds that alcohol does not affect the whole central nervous system, but only specific domains. Results show that alcohol consumption specifically affects attention, automatic auditory processing, and performance monitoring. These effects are already present with 1-2 drinks, although only small.