Hallelujah: Beer Hydrates Better Than Water

Now, there's no reason to wait for that post-hike beer

At last, I no longer have to act ashamed whenever people discover my hydration bladder is full of Miller High Life—I'm simply ahead of my time. Our pal Science now says that beer, yes beer, is more effective for rehydrating the body than plain ol' water. I think I'm not alone when I say that this qualifies as news on par with peace in the Middle East.

Researchers at Granada University in Spain found this Nobel Prize-worthy discovery after months of testing 25 student subjects, who were asked to run on a treadmill in grueling temps (104 degrees F) until they were as close to exhaustion as possible. Half were given water to drink, and the other half drank two pints of Spanish lager. Then the godly researchers measured their hydration levels, motor skills, and concentration ability.

They determined that the beer drinkers had "slightly better" rehydration effects, which researchers attribute to sugars, salts, and bubbles in beer enhancing the body's ability to absorb water. The carbohydrates in beer also help refill calorie deficits.

Based on the results of the study, researchers recommend moderate consumption of beer as a part of athletes' diets. "Moderate consumption" for men is 500ml per day, and for women is 250ml per day.

Goodbye Gatorade, hello Pabst Blue Ribbon: This opens the door to a whole raft of new athlete beer sponsorships. Hopefully we'll see Lance replace the water bottle on his bike with a 40 of St. Ides in the next few months. (In fact, maybe that's why he didn't win the Giro d'Italia.)

This of course doesn't mean anything for hydration outside of strenuous exercise, but I'm not taking any chances—best to start hydrating now. [cracks open can of Lone Star]

—Ted Alvarez

It's Better To Drink Beer After Exercise Than Water (Cleveland Leader)

via Goat

Image Credit: Archibald Jude

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READERS COMMENTS

Alcohol decreases your ability to *retain* water. So it might rapidly rehydrate you, but your body will even more rapidly deplete your water supply to metabolize the alcohol!

Have any of you actually had beer before? Duh!
Posted: Jul 13, 2009 Yes but...

Very Interesting Article!
<a href=http://easy-life-gadget.blogspot.com rel="dofollow">Life Gadget</a>
Posted: Jun 29, 2009 Faisal Iqbal

"Goodbye Gatorade, hello Pabst Blue Ribbon"

Notice that the study didn't find beer was better than Gatorade, it found beer was better than water.
Posted: Jun 18, 2009 Rob

Alaska sledheads have known this for a long time!
Come on, DUH
Posted: Jun 16, 2009 Kim

Let us rejoice in this glorious discovery by raising a glass of that hallowed, hoppy beverage!

http://hopheadvelo.blogspot.com
Posted: Jun 11, 2009 Hophead Velo

Rugby players have long recognized the benefits of beer drinking, having beer practice immediately following each workout and scrimmage, and a beer party following every match . . . the winner of which carried the day . . regardless of the game results.
Posted: Jun 11, 2009 Bob

For my 70th birthday this past March, I ran 70 miles with 19,000' of climbs. Took me 3 days. On day 2, I had two light beers during the run. www.CaliforniaOldGoats.com/70at70ResultsDay2.htm

On May 30th, I ran the Shadow of the Giants 34 mile long ultra with 5,923' of climbs. Had one beer stashed in my drop bag at mile 10 and another starting at mile 24. 145 runners stated. I came in 110th. 22 dropped. As usual, no one older than me beat me. As usual there weren't any such critters!
www.bigbaztrailraces.com/09/50K-Shadow-May30.htm even has a picture of me finishing with a Coors Light in hand!
I obviously APPROVE of Ted Alvaraz's important research conclusions!
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 Old Goat Ultrarunner Doug

Wow....I love it...thanks...i'll be drinking more beer in the field from now on...lol
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 Eros

The problem with anything other thatn good old fashioned water, or a good old-fashioned, is that coffee and alcohol both de-hydrate you. So do cigasrettes, they de-hydrate. Coffee gives only about fifty percent of the hydrating injtake. The other fifty percent goes into processes that take water from you. I know , I'm a brilliant rocket-scientist, trust me.
Beer, does hydrate you a little quicker than even gatorade, and that thesis is also relevanmt to your dietary standard. Even given the fact, it's best to stay below buzz level and then take up water or a proper hydration fluid, like gatorade. Powdered gatorade, I dunno, if you put in an extra scoop of it, does that extra powder convert to water?
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 sbeard

Al Gore says "The debate is over.... the science is irrefutable."
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 Gary

Here's a picture you all should appreciate - http://www.tugtest.com/index.asp?tugtest=ELEFG
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 Charlie

i drink beer all day and i dont feel dehydrated till the next day
Posted: Jun 08, 2009 secret face

I've always thought that beer would be an excellent beverage for hiking and now we have science to back it up. I wonder if beer advertisers will now go head to head with sport beverage advertisers in reaching out to endurance athletes.

It is interesting that the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who are generally considered to be the greatest distance runners on earth, drink mostly Tesquino, which is essentially a corn beer.

In the past I've generally reserved a cold one as a celebratory post hike beverage. I think next time I go on a good, long hike I'll throw one back at the beginning as well as at the end.
Posted: Jun 08, 2009 Hal Summers

To each his own, drink both, be happy, be safe.....
Posted: Jun 08, 2009 Moderate Martins

Yeah, I guess that's why this study took place elsewhere, b/c the greatest scientists in America found that the opposite was true
Posted: Jun 07, 2009 Matt

I have been testing rehydration by WATER, GATORADE or BEER for over 30 yrs and find it may take me another 30 to solve this question.
I'll let you know.
But of course there are the psychological benefits to each:
Beer-I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy, plus those vitamins.
Water-kind of tastes like plastic, or is that giardia.
Gatorade-Easier than catching and drinking your own sweat-Thank you UFL atheletes.

Perhaps the answer is BEERADE is better!
Posted: Jun 07, 2009 Craggy

So...who sponsored the study? Went to a lecture by a psychiatrist specialising in alcohol/drug addiction treatment recently and he explained how the liquor industry had massaged studies on so-called health benefits of drinking alcohol to make it look as though it was beneficial. Interesting process. Those bastards in the liquor industry who introduce chocolate-flavored sweet alcohol to 11 year olds here in New Zealand to deliberately get them on the alcohol consumption pathway, aren't getting any of my money.
Posted: Jun 07, 2009 Honora

Yeah, this is what is wrong with science and scientists. Not the ones who conducted the real world study, I am accusing the morons who believe any feces they are fed while claiming that anyone who does real world studies that prove their theory wrong are incorrect at best, and moronic at worst.

Here is a little piece of reality for the scientists who claim that alcohol is always a diuretic. When mankind first started living in large overcrowded cities (at least in Europe) the populations of the cities would come down with many nasty communicable diseases. This was more often than not due to bacteria in the water supply. Soon, people stopped drinking water, and switched to the safer beer and mead as the alcohol content killed off any nasty bacteria. The city dwellers and their children drank nothing else if they wished to remain healthy.

If scientists were not so busy naval gazing and circle jerking, then they would have figured out that out forebears would have all died given the theory that all alcohol is a diuretic.
Posted: Jun 07, 2009 Bunny

that study sounds crazy. :>
Posted: Jun 06, 2009 HD