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

@ Jack

I'm not sure why you had to inject politics into the discussion.

And since you're implying Liberals don't respect, or are otherwise anti-science, I can only assume you mean liberalism as it is used outside of the United States?

Either way, I don't think people being jerks is a matter of political persuasion -- people are sometimes just reactionary jerks.
Posted: Apr 12, 2012 Jason Hellion Ground

Wow a bunch of straight snobs on this board. The original article was pointing out an actual study done by real scientists and the author chose to add a little humor by throwing in the pabst joke etc. You freakin outdoor yuppy shone should get a bottle of act right or beer. Did u ever consider that a light beer or non alcoholic beer may provide better hydration than a glass of water? I agree that I would never pack beer on a backpacking trip due to the weight of it or any other sports drink for that matter. But let's say I have a light beer after a 3 hour workout, is the gear nerd expert brigade gonna beat me up?
Posted: Mar 28, 2012 Steve

Wow everyone on here is retarded it's frigging scientifics and mind bottling how stupid you all are beer is good for you in moderation just like anything else but everyone nowadays is obsessed with all this bullshit normal people will live and die by the sword but hipsters should go f themselves with their i bs
Posted: Nov 27, 2011 Anonymous

It's funny how some folk think of beer as some hard liquor. It comes in various percentages and flavors, pick one thats right for you.
When enjoying the great outdoors and taking a moment to pause and suck back the scenery, whats wrong with adding a tallboy to the mix?!?!?!?
Remember there's no such thing as bad beer just better beer..
Posted: Nov 06, 2011 Beerswine

Wow did any of these people commenting even read this article, or did they just read the title and immediately take every piece of it out of context
Posted: Oct 23, 2011 Steve

For a reason in Germany the Erdinger Brewery promotes his Erdinger Wei�bier Alkoholfrei (alcohol free beer) as the ultimate sports drink. It is isotonic tastes good (for some) and does not dehydrate. Bavarian have known this facts about beer for ages. You find the Erdinger beer around all big sports events.
Posted: Aug 26, 2011 Michael S

I love how people are degrading the research without examining the data. Brain dead liberalism in action. I love it.

This mindset is precisely why I don't want anything to do with most 'packers and outdoor enthusiasts. Mindless liberal dogma and billigerent attitudes just for the sake of being a jerk.

Man, no wonder the Sierra Club is losing membership. Snooty, high brow, self righteous foolishness.
Posted: Jul 19, 2011 Jack

The most unbelievable ignorant piece of BS I have ever read.
Posted: Jul 18, 2011 Din

The most unbelievable ignorant piece of BS I have ever read.
Posted: Jul 18, 2011 Nick

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Posted: Jun 17, 2011 cheap journey tickets

Looks Like Fun
Posted: Sep 26, 2010 Filter Bottles

Yeah BEER! Geeeeze, most of you folks making comments take yourselves and this article way too seriously. Do you really think that people are going to start hydrating with beer as a result of this article? COME ON. RELAX. Beer has always been known to be a good recovery drink after a hard workout.
Posted: Aug 31, 2010 Not a nerd

I can't imagine why backpacker would publish an article like this one. What a completely irresponsible thing to do, do you have idiots running this magazine or are you completely insane. I hike the AT all year long and run into enough ify people without adding alcohol to the mix. Don't you have enough good articles to publish without doing this, keep it up and I will cancel my subscription and encourage others to do so.
Posted: Jul 25, 2010 john baranowski

The best part of this is that the beer he's holding in the pic is Mexico's premier stout NEGRA MODELO!!!!!!!!! awesome...

...but I do agree, one beer might get you more hydrated, if you need more, it's effect will diminish (for alcohool does dehydrate)and therefore this article is just plain bull...especially because he praises pabst blue ribbon, THAT will get ya killed no matter what! ha ha

Nobody will take this article seriously, because for long trips, it's not practical at all, a couple bottles or cans will be too much added weight for the MARGINAL benefit.
Posted: Jul 22, 2010 Wolf

I'm not sure which is worse... the science of this article or the fact that the author made the Lance joke unaware of his Michelob Ultra sponsorship.
Posted: Jul 20, 2010 Joe

Anybody notice the part where it says "in moderation" ??? 500mL is the same as 16 oz, half a nalgene. It's less than 1.5 cans of beer. I'm not sure where your getting 6 packs, hangovers and deaths from 1.5 cans of beer. Did any of you actually get past the title?
Posted: Jul 20, 2010 Chris N