We all look for reasons to enjoy a bottle or two of beer once in a while. It could be that it’s your birthday, your favorite team is playing, you recently got married, you’re out with the boys or just the simple reason that it’s a Friday night and you want to kick off the weekend. All these reasons are valid, but scientist have giver us a reson that is more valid – beer it seems is good for your brain.
Scientists discovered that xanthohumol, a type of flavonoid found in beer, seems to help cognitive function, at least in young mice. They tested this hypothesis in a study that ran in Behavioral Brain Research this week. Xanthohumol did not have the same impact on older mice.
The dose they gave the mice was quite high — so high that if you were in this study, you’d actually have to drink 2,000 liters of beer a day to equal what the mice consumed. So scientists don’t suggest you run out and buy a six-pack before work.
The research does suggest that this flavonoid and others should be studied closer. The researchers believe it and others, like the ones found in red wine, blueberries and dark chocolate, may play a role in helping you form memories.
(Info via CNN)