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According to researchers, beer can reduce pain more effectively than painkillers
Health experts say around eight million million people suffer from recurring headaches. Many try to combat their complaints with medicines. Others prefer to rely on home remedies. British researchers are now reporting another possible measure: According to their study, beer can relieve headaches. However, this should not be a call for alcohol consumption.
Every tenth German uses daily headache remedies
More and more - especially young people - in Germany suffer from headaches. According to experts, this is due, among other things, to increasing pressure and stress in work and everyday life. Many sufferers try to combat pain with painkillers. For example, a report from the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) showed that about every tenth German consumes at least one headache tablet daily. Researchers from England now report on a remedy that can relieve the symptoms better than drugs: beer.
Who has consumed too much alcoholic drinks, usually gets a headache. British researchers now report that beer can help with the symptoms. However, this is not an appeal to the counter-beer. (Image: Givaga / fotolia.com) Natural remedies for headaches
Health experts usually advise against headaches for regular painkillers as they can cause long-term headaches.
For minor ailments, simple tricks for headaches are often more effective than medications anyway. For example, a few drops of lemon balm are applied to a piece of sugar and taken a well-known home remedy for headache.
According to British scientists, beer can also help with the symptoms. The researchers report to Dr. med. Trevor Thompson of the University of Greenwich in the journal "Journal of Pain".
An effective painkiller
In their study with 18 experiments, a total of 400 subjects participated. It showed that the consumption of two large glasses of beer can reduce the complaints by about a quarter.
"We found strong evidence that alcohol is an effective analgesic," Dr. Thompson quoted in a statement from the university.
According to the experts, with a blood alcohol content of 0.8 per thousand, "the pain threshold in the body increases slightly". This results in "a moderate to large reduction of pain perception".
Compared to the English newspaper "The Sun" said Thompson, the analgesic effect can be compared with opioids such as codeine. "The effect is stronger than that of paracetamol," said the study director.
No call for alcohol consumption
However, researchers can not say why alcohol has this effect. One theory is that it can act on the same nerve receptors as drugs, such as ketamine, to dull the sensation of pain.
It is also possible that alcohol indirectly reduces the pain by reducing worries and fears.
Scientists hope that by isolating the key compounds in the future, it will be possible to develop new painkillers without the toxic, addictive or harmful effects of alcohol.
Despite the evidence of the analgesic effect, Dr. Thompson said that "the amount of alcohol needed for sustained pain relief could lead to a number of serious health problems".
Not more than six beers a week
The report from the university points to British Government guidelines that no more than six beers should be consumed per week.
In Germany, the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) recommends that women should consume a maximum of twelve grams of pure alcohol (a small glass of 0.25 liter beer) per day, in men it is 24 grams (two small glasses).
However, these quantities are only considered harmless if alcohol is dispensed with at least two days a week.
Unfortunately, these limits are often not met. In Germany, people drink more than average alcohol.
Recently, the BZgA reported that alcohol consumption is a particular problem, especially in the elderly. This is also because "in older people the alcohol in the liver is broken down more slowly and the fluid balance in old age also changes."
In principle, high consumption can damage any organ of the human body. Those who drink too much increase their risk of numerous diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure, fatty liver and nerve damage. (Ad)