A new study led by researchers from University of California, Irvine, found that alcohol intake might have more benefits than exercise for older individuals.
The study led by neurologist Claudia Kawas began in 2003, tracking 1,700 nonagenarians (90-99 years old) to determine what habits can lead to a longer life. Researchers found that subjects who drank an average of two glasses of beer or wine a day were 18 percent less likely to experience a premature death.
While participants who exercised 15 to 45 minutes a day only cut the same risk by 11 percent.
These findings were presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual conference in Austin, Texas in February 2018.
“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Kawas said in her keynote address.
Another factor that was found to effect life longevity is weight. Participants who were slightly overweight in their 70’s, but not obese, cut their odds of a premature death by 3 percent.
Kawas pointed out in her address that being fit when you’re young is not bad, but being underweight when older can have serious health repercussions.
The study also observed that subjects who kept busy with a hobby for an average of two hours a day were 21 percent less likely to result in a premature death, along with those who drank two cups of coffee a day who cut the risk by 10 percent.
This study has not yet been published in any science journals.
Beer and wine consumption and the relation with a person’s health has been a topic of discussion for a long time. This study is only one of many to come.
With alcohol being a popular topic, and not just at happy hour, we decided to head into the lab and run an HPLC analysis on the hop acids in beer using core-shell technology columns.
Iso-alpha acids, derived from hops, are the compounds responsible for beer’s bitter taste. During the beer brewing process, compounds known as alpha acids are extracted from the hops and isomerized to form iso-alpha acids. The conversion of alpha acids into iso-alpha acids takes place when the hops are added to the wort—unfinished beer—and boiled.
The amount and type of iso-alpha acids formed is dependent on a number of factors including the boiling time, the variety and age of the hops, and the pH of the wort. The bitterness derived from iso-alpha hop acids is a primary flavor attribute of beer and accurate determination of beer bitterness is of great importance to the brewer. Therefore, to maintain a consistent product, brewers must carefully monitor the levels of iso-alpha acids throughout the manufacturing process and in the final beer product.
Iso-alpha acid levels are typically monitored using reversed phase HPLC. Until recently, these analyses have been performed using columns packed with fully porous silica particles, with run times of 15-20 minutes or longer. By switching to HPLC columns packed with Kinetex core-shell particles, these analyses can be significantly improved and performed in a fraction of the currently accepted analysis time.
To view the full technical note, check it out here: Hop Acids in Beer
Are you more of a wine drinker? Check out our Fast and Robust Analysis of Organic Acids from Wine.
