Effects of the intake of craft or industrial beer on serum homocysteine

Beer is a source of folate, vitamin B-6 and B-12, molecules involved in the pathways of homocysteine (HCY), a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This research evaluated if a consumption of craft or industrial beer could reduce serum HCY. In a randomised cross-over study, 12 men (28.7 +/- 6.0 years) and 12 women (29.4 +/- 7.5 years), healthy, omnivorous, with normal body mass index, non-smoking and not taking oral supplements or contraceptives, followed a free-living diet and received, daily, for 3 weeks, 330 ml of industrial (4.5% of alcohol) or craft beer (9% of alcohol). Anthropometric measures and blood samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of each period. The consumption of industrial beer reduced (p < 0.05) HCY (7.35 vs. 6.50 mu mol/L) and increased folic acid (3.46 vs. 3.94 ng/mL). Craft beer increased gamma-gluamyl transpeptidase (GGT) (16.6 vs. 18.6 U/L) and reduced vitamin B-6 (20.9 vs. 16.9 ng/mL).

Automated summary

The study revealed that consuming industrial beer can reduce HCY levels and increase folic acid levels, while craft beer can increase GGT levels and decrease vitamin B-6 levels.