Alcohol-free beer can also harm the liver due to its high sugar content, according to a study by researchers at the Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum in Germany. The study, presented at the annual congress of the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, found that the high sugar content in alcohol-free beer can put a strain on the metabolism. The study involved 48 healthy men aged between 19 and 29 who abstained from alcohol for four weeks before being divided into four groups. Three groups drank two bottles of alcohol-free beer (330ml) daily for four weeks, while the fourth group drank the same amount of water. Tests were carried out on the liver before and after the experiment, including tests for liver enzymes, the M30 cell death indicator, and an elastographic ultrasound analysis to determine liver strength. The study found that the sugar content in many alcohol-free beers could put a strain on the body’s main metabolic organ, the liver.
The group that drank Radler beer showed a significant improvement in certain liver enzymes (GPT, GOT) and the FAST score, which combines elastographic data and the liver enzyme AST. However, the other beer groups showed a non-significant increase in these enzymes. There were no changes in liver strength, and the M30 cell death indicator improved in both the control group and the Pils drinkers. The study also found that the sugar content in alcohol-free beer could worsen glucose metabolism, with all three beer groups showing a deterioration in glucose metabolism parameters. The group that consumed wheat beer had higher insulin and C-peptide levels, while the Radler drinkers had an increase in fasting blood sugar levels, and the Pils drinkers had an increase in HbA1c levels. Triglyceride levels increased in the Radler and wheat beer groups, while they improved in the control and Pils groups.
The study highlights the need for beer drinkers to switch to sugar-free drinks like water to avoid putting a strain on their liver. The findings also suggest that the temporary avoidance of alcohol may not lead to a rapid regeneration of the liver. The study’s results could have implications for people who consume alcohol-free beer regularly, particularly those who are at risk of liver disease.
