Does beer increase or decrease blood pressure? Is it possible to drink it if you have hypertension?

In life, you hear different opinions about whether alcohol increases or decreases blood pressure. Most often, it is believed that alcohol dilates blood vessels and thereby helps to reduce and normalize this indicator. But when examining patients in a state of intoxication, as well as patients with chronic alcoholism, hypertension is diagnosed in almost all cases. Among drug treatment clients, this tendency is detected in the majority of people seeking help.

Beer composition

The main raw materials for brewing are malt, hops, yeast and various additives. The composition also includes water, the level of which reaches 90%. The beneficial ingredients of the drink include vitamins, microelements and dietary fiber.

One 0.5 liter beer bottle contains from 20 to 40 g of pure ethanol. Even if you drink a small bottle, it is enough to slightly dilate your blood vessels and lower your blood pressure. In standard situations, the indicator returns to normal levels only after 5-7 hours.

Theory

A half-liter bottle of beer, depending on the strength, contains 20-40 grams of pure ethanol. Even this amount of alcohol is enough to slightly dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. As a rule, after 6-8 hours the indicator returns to its original value.

However, many beer lovers find it difficult to stop at just one bottle. The more alcohol enters the blood, the sharper the rise in pressure and the shorter the time interval between its decrease and subsequent increase. Moreover, in this case, the pressure rises above the initial level.

As long as the vessels are healthy, they can withstand such loads relatively easily. But weakened and covered with cholesterol plaques, the walls of blood vessels lose their elasticity and can rupture. Excessive beer consumption with high blood pressure often leads to stroke.

Beer cannot stabilize blood pressure

The body's reaction to alcohol is individual. For example, there are people whose blood pressure does not change at all even after drinking several glasses of beer. For others, the changes are more pronounced. But in any case, this drink should not be taken as a medicine to increase or decrease blood pressure. In case of any deviations from the norm, you must consult a doctor and strictly follow his recommendations.

Properties of the drink and effects on the body

Beer has many beneficial and harmful qualities that affect people differently. The effect on the body depends on its specifics. Common benefits include the following:

1. Some manufacturers make alkaline products that help break down kidney stones.
2. The hop drink helps actively restore intestinal microflora after taking antibiotics.
3. Drinking a liquid with low alcohol content quenches your thirst quickly due to its high water content compared to other ingredients.
4. The presence of B vitamins makes the skin fresh and soft when consumed in moderation.
5. By heating the drink and adding honey, you can use it as an effective cough remedy.

Among the harmful properties, the most common is considered to be addiction to the drink as a result of abuse. Constantly drinking beer, a person increases the load on the heart and blood vessels. In addition, due to the presence of bacteria in the composition, fermentation processes in the intestines are activated, which leads to gas formation and bloating.

Consequences for the male body

Beer, like any alcohol, has an extremely negative effect on the reproductive system. For example, men are diagnosed with fatty degeneration of the seminiferous tubules. The glandular tissue of the testicles suffers the most from beer, since the ethanol contained in it quickly overcomes the blood-testis barrier.

The functions of the liver are severely affected - in particular, its ability to destroy estrogen. Often, beer alcoholics develop cirrhosis of the liver, which inhibits the gonadotropic functions of the pituitary gland. And this, in turn, leads to atrophy of the gonads. Due to phytoestrogens, female sex hormones accumulate in a man’s body. This manifests itself as follows:

• potency seriously deteriorates;
• the nasal mucosa swells;
• breasts begin to grow;
• the pelvis expands;
• a malignant tumor may develop in the breast;
• sexual weakness occurs;
• a lot of fat is deposited in the waist area (the characteristic “beer belly”);
• Testosterone production drops significantly;
• hair growth and quantity are reduced, which soon leads to baldness;
• excess weight appears, and with it a predisposition to diabetes;
• the timbre of the voice changes.

Over the years, a male beer alcoholic becomes more and more like a woman.

Mechanisms of alcohol's effect on blood pressure

The effect of alcoholic beverages on human health has not been fully studied, including the effect of beer on blood pressure fluctuations. Most studies confirm that drinking too much of this drink increases blood pressure, while avoiding frequent consumption lowers it.

The alcohol in the composition comes from the digestive system directly into the bloodstream and gradually spreads throughout the body. Drinking alcoholic beverages can cause not only short-term but also long-term consequences. For this reason, drinking beer in small quantities can be beneficial, but drinking it in excess often has a negative effect on blood pressure.

Can I drink beer?

Since moderate amounts of beer can have a positive effect on blood pressure, there are acceptable daily doses. A positive effect occurs when men drink no more than 700 ml per day, women - no more than 350 ml. Taking this dose can reduce blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg. At the same time, these beer consumption values ​​are acceptable at normal pressure levels.

With high blood pressure

People with hypertension are usually prescribed medications to keep their blood pressure within acceptable limits. Medicines are designed for slow absorption, and contact with alcohol promotes accelerated dissolution of the membrane and entry into the bloodstream. Instead of a healing effect, the body becomes intoxicated and the side effects of the drug intensify.

Drinking beer if you have high blood pressure can cause dizziness, nausea, and temporary loss of consciousness. If you are taking antihypertensive drugs, you should avoid beer, including non-alcoholic beer, since even it contains ethyl alcohol.

If a hypertensive patient is not taking medication, he should be careful about drinking alcohol. When drinking any amount of beer, remember the following rules:

• almost all products that are considered a common beer snack contain a lot of salt, which leads to increased blood pressure;
• Even a small amount of drinking activates appetite, and overeating causes obesity;
• It is dangerous to drink strong drinks in hot weather, when there is a high risk of a hypertensive attack.

At low pressure

The combination of beer and drugs necessary to stabilize blood pressure during hypotension is not allowed. Alcohol neutralizes the therapeutic effect of medications and causes possible side effects. In addition, the causes of low blood pressure can be gastritis, stomach ulcers and a number of diseases associated with dysfunction of the endocrine system.

Patients with the above diagnoses are prohibited from drinking alcohol even in small quantities. Drinking this drink in hypotensive patients often causes microtremors.

If a person is not hypotensive and his blood pressure rarely drops, a small amount of beer may not affect his health. In such situations, the drink has a positive effect on hemoglobin levels, relieves the effects of depression and even increases tension.

conclusions

Even absolutely healthy people should not abuse beer. If your blood pressure is high or low, you should follow these rules:

• Under no circumstances should you drink beer on the day of taking any medications, and ideally for at least two days after it (unless the instructions for the medications indicate a longer period);
• do not quench your thirst with beer in the heat;
• You should not drink beer if you are feeling unwell, as this can provoke an attack;
• The best “beer” time is evening. You should not drink beer at lunch if there is physical labor in the afternoon (for example, working in a garden plot);
• preference should be given to “live” beer. It contains B vitamins, which strengthen the walls of blood vessels (500 g of drink contains 16% of the daily value of vitamin B6);
• for hypertensive patients, non-alcoholic beer is much safer than regular beer;
• If you have high blood pressure, it is not recommended to eat smoked beer. Lightly salted cheeses, unsalted nuts, and vegetable salads are best suited as a snack. At low pressure there are no such restrictions;
• with high blood pressure, the permissible dose of the drink is 1-2 mugs no more than twice a week. This also applies to non-alcoholic beer;
• If a person feels unwell after drinking beer, he should immediately seek help.

Attention! Self-medication can be harmful to health. Consult your doctor.

Your mark:

Impact of non-alcoholic beer

Replacing a drink containing alcohol with a non-alcoholic option if your blood pressure is unstable has no effect. A non-alcoholic drink with similar characteristics and properties to standard strength beer. In addition, it contains up to 1% ethanol by volume. Drinking non-alcoholic beer is not capable of causing sudden changes in blood pressure, but its combination with medications often leads to adverse consequences for human health.

How beer is harmful for men

Beer producers have achieved marketing success.
Thanks to advertising, this drink is surrounded by an aura of attractiveness and fun. Therefore, for many people it does not cause negative associations. Moreover, some believe that this drink is good for health. However, alcohol will always be alcohol, regardless of its concentration or type of drink. So it doesn't matter whether you drink 40% vodka or beer with a low alcohol content. In large quantities, they are equally harmful to the body. If you experience health problems due to drinking alcohol, call our paid ambulance. Free consultation right now!

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Allowed amount of beer

Despite generally accepted daily limits for hard liquor for men and women, some researchers and doctors believe there is no optimal drinking level. Regardless of the amount of alcoholic beverages consumed, they contribute to changes in blood pressure readings. Drinking more than 35 ml of alcohol per day based on pure ethyl alcohol content increases the likelihood of developing hypertension by 70%. Drinking high doses of alcohol can lead to atherosclerosis and increase the risk of stroke.

People with hypertension are advised to minimize the consumption of any alcoholic beverages, including hops.

Reducing the amount you drink or stopping it completely helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing many diseases. If you want to drink beer, it is recommended to stick to the conditional limits, 350 ml and 700 ml for women and men respectively.

Combination of alcohol and antihypertensive drugs

People with hypertension often take medications to help maintain their blood pressure at an optimal level. They feel better, blood pressure changes stop bothering them, and many people return to their normal lifestyle, starting to indulge in alcoholic drinks.

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But what is the compatibility of ethanol and antihypertensive drugs? How can this tandem affect the body and the effectiveness of medications? First of all, you should not ignore the manufacturer’s recommendations set out in the instructions for the drug. Most medications cannot be combined with alcoholic beverages, since a glass of cognac or a harmless glass of wine can greatly enhance the toxic effect of the tablets.

Most drugs have a slowly dissolving coating, which prevents the sudden entry of large amounts of the active substance into the body. Alcohol speeds up the dissolution process of the shell. Adverse reactions of simultaneous intake of alcohol and medications include not only high blood pressure, but also a number of other disorders, which include:

• alcohol poisoning due to high concentrations of ethanol oxidation products in the blood;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• heart failure;
• hypertensive crisis;
• heart attack;
• stroke.

Important! If drinking alcohol while taking a blood pressure-lowering drug is contraindicated, then it would be advisable to postpone the feast to a day when you did not take the pills. This advice is also relevant for hypotensive patients taking medications to stabilize their condition. Before drinking wine, vodka, beer or cognac, do not forget to look at the instructions for the drug to avoid possible side effects.

Contraindications for drinking beer

As a rule, the drink is contraindicated for teenagers, pregnant and lactating women, and people with diseases not related to alcohol consumption. Contraindications also include the following:

• The presence of chronic diseases of the circulatory system or heart failure;
• disruption of the stomach;
• taking sedatives and antibiotics, as well as drugs that stabilize blood pressure;
• kidney problems.

Excessive consumption of hops leads to the development of pathogenic microorganisms and puts a serious strain on the internal blood vessels and heart. When hops are consumed, the heart becomes more active and overstrained, leading to fluctuations in blood pressure. A strong flush occurs in the morning after drinking too much beer at night. As a result, the heart gradually loses flexibility, changes size, and performance deteriorates.

Beer also negatively affects the reproductive ability of men, namely the production of testosterone in the required amount. Even in small quantities, hops reduce testosterone production and stimulate the production of female hormones. Along with hops, phytoestrogens enter the body, which lead to female body development (an increase in breast and pelvic volume) in men.

Beer can also negatively affect a woman’s body. Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. Additionally, because the body cannot process alcohol in high doses quickly, the kidneys produce a substance that causes blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to migraines and swelling of the extremities.

Consequences for the female body

The harm of beer to the female body is a deterioration in reproductive function, hormonal imbalance, liver damage, obesity and a sharp deterioration in appearance. We must not forget the fact that women become drunk about three times faster than men.

Regular consumption of beer leads to obesity (especially considering that people prefer to drink the foamy drink with chips, crackers, and nuts). The harm of beer for a woman is manifested in the following:

• excess weight with rapid growth in the abdomen and waist (so-called visceral fat is deposited, that is, internal fat that interferes with the normal functioning of organs);
• reproductive function is impaired;
• menstrual irregularities, gastrointestinal disorders occur, gynecological problems worsen;
• a masculine appearance is acquired, facial features become coarser;
• waist disappears;
• the amount of hair on the face and body increases;
• the skin becomes sluggish, flabby, wrinkled, capillary breaks and spider veins appear;
• The likelihood of developing breast and genital cancer increases significantly due to serious hormonal imbalances.

If a nursing mother drinks beer regularly, the baby may experience epileptic seizures.