Beer could ‘mitigate’ Alzheimer’s disease suggests new study

Dementia is not a direct result of ageing which means there are ways to reduce your risk. While a healthy diet is one of the best-known weapons against any disease, a popular alcoholic drink could also have some tricks up its sleeve. A new study has found a surprising link between beer and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.Prevention is always a more desirable strategy than a treatment, with diet proving especially potent for lowering the risk of dementia.While alcohol is one of the major risk factors for any dementia type, those who enjoy an occasional pint of beer may be onto something.A new study, published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, arrived at a surprising conclusion – beer may ward off Alzheimer’s disease.Being the third most popular beverage worldwide, it’s no surprise beer is a go-to choice for many.READ MORE: Acholic stools are ‘the most common’ sign of pancreatic cancer in ‘initial’ stages Dementia: Beer shown to ‘mitigate’ Alzheimer’s disease in a study. (Image: GETTY)The reason why the golden drink could have protective effects against dementia comes down to its main ingredient – hops.A key component of a beer’s aroma and flavour, hops offer more than the beloved bitter taste.Recent studies have suggested that the little flower can improve cognition, attention and even mitigate Alzheimer’s disease in mice.The new study elaborates on this research by adding their finding that hops were able to prevent the clumping of protein plaques linked to Alzheimer’s disease in lab dishes.DON’T MISS  Recent studies have suggested that hops can improve cognition, attention and mitigate Alzheimer’s. (Image: GETTY) From a healthy diet to exercise, there are various ways to reduce dementia risk. (Image: Express.co.uk)However, this study isn’t the only research that linked alcohol to a lower risk of dementia.A study, published in the journal Addiction, found that occasional and light to moderate drinkers were 22 percent less likely to develop the mind-robbing condition.Looking at almost 25,000 participants, the researchers found that even the biggest drinkers were 19 percent less likely to develop dementia.But the team also reported limitations such as the alcohol intake being self-reported by participants.The NHS recommends avoiding regularly drinking more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level.