From this article you will learn: how beer affects the pressure - raises it or lowers it. Mechanisms of influence of the drink on the level of blood pressure, whether it is possible to drink it to people with increased or decreased rates.
Beer is one of the types of low-alcohol beverages, which is very popular among the population. Therefore it is not surprising that many people are interested in how it affects BP - it increases it or reduces it.
Most doctors and scientists agree that the influence of any alcoholic drink on the level of blood pressure depends on the number and frequency of its use. Scientific studies have shown that the constant abuse of beer leads to an increase in pressure. But a single intake of a large number of it can cause severe alcohol poisoning, causing a drop in blood pressure. Dependence of the effect on blood pressure from the strength of the drink is not present, the effect is related to the amount of drink.
About how much you can consume beer, you can consult a narcologist and a cardiologist.
The effect of beer on blood pressure
Beer and other spirits are part of human culture for several thousand years. Despite this long history, the interaction between alcohol and human health is still not fully understood, including the question of its impact on blood pressure.
Most scientific evidence demonstrates the relationship between alcohol abuse, including beer, and increased pressure. This connection is also confirmed by evidence that the refusal of excessive consumption of alcohol contributes to lowering blood pressure.
Alcohol from beer beverages is quickly absorbed from the digestive tract into the blood that carries it throughout the body. This low-alcohol drink can cause both short-term effects developing after consuming its large amount at a time, and the long-term effects that arise with regular use in large quantities. Therefore, it can be argued that beer has a different effect on blood pressure, depending on the number and regularity of its use.
It is believed that in small doses, alcohol has a beneficial effect on blood pressure. This protective effect of alcohol is observed if men drink no more than 700 ml of light beer per day, and women - not more than 350 ml. Not so long ago it was believed that the use of beer in this amount helps to reduce the pressure by 2-4 mm Hg. Art.
However, in 2013 new data were published that contradict the statement that a small amount of alcohol reduces the level of pressure. According to the results of this study, scientists came to the conclusion that any amount of alcohol exceeding 10 g in recalculation for pure ethyl alcohol increases the level of systolic blood pressure. In this case, the type of alcoholic beverage does not matter, AD increases after consuming any of them, including beer products, red wine, vodka, cognac.
Single intake of a large amount of beer increases both systolic and diastolic pressure. This recovery of blood pressure develops immediately, but has a temporary character.
Regular abuse of the drink for a long time can lead to a constant increase in blood pressure.
The effect of sudden withdrawal of alcohol on blood pressure
The sudden cessation of alcohol after prolonged use may cause various symptoms, one of which is a temporary increase in blood pressure. These symptoms can last from several days to several weeks. Therefore, doctors recommend to stop drinking alcohol slowly and gradually.
If a person has managed to quit drinking alcohol, the level of his blood pressure can drop quite significantly. Reducing the amount of alcohol consumed or completely abandoning it contributes to improving overall health, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction and stroke.
Mechanisms of the effect of alcohol on blood pressure
There are several theories about the mechanism of the relationship between beer and pressure. The immediate effect of its use is vasodilation( relaxation of smooth muscles in the walls of blood vessels) in some blood vessels. However, abuse, accompanied by a high level of alcohol in the blood, leads to a temporary increase in blood pressure. After stopping the use of alcoholic drinks, the pressure decreases within a few hours or days. These data indicate that the effect of alcohol on BP is mediated not by structural disorders, but by nervous, hormonal or other reversible changes that include:
- Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, insulin or cortisol.
- Suppression of vasodilators such as nitric oxide.
- Depletion of calcium and magnesium levels in the body.
- Increase in the level of calcium inside the smooth muscle cells of the vessels.
- Increased level of acetaldehyde.
The question of the mechanisms of the influence of beer on blood pressure is still not fully understood.
How much beer can be consumed by people with hypertension
Most doctors and scientists now claim that there is no safe level of use. Even a small amount of alcohol can help increase blood pressure. If people drink more than 30 ml of alcohol per day in terms of pure alcohol, the risk of hypertension increases by 70%.Alcoholic drinks contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and increase the risk of stroke.
Therefore, patients with hypertension are recommended to reduce the consumption of all alcoholic beverages or even abandon them. This helps to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing hypertension.
People who are interested in whether it is possible to drink beer under increased pressure are strongly advised not to consume more than 350 ml of this low-alcohol drink per day.
Another danger from its use for people with hypertension is the effect of alcohol on drugs from high blood pressure. When a combination of alcohol and some of the antihypertensive drugs can develop dizziness, drowsiness and falling blood pressure.
Drinking Beer Under Reduced Pressure
Having learned that drinking leads to increased pressure, many people with hypotension may think that they need to drink beer to solve their problems, and they often go to the pub. Doctors are categorically against this method of increasing blood pressure, since the treatment of hypotension should be aimed at eliminating its causes. According to one data, the use of beer products in moderate amounts, not exceeding 350 ml per day, can raise blood pressure by only 1-2 mm Hg.and, on the other hand, even reduce it by 2-4 mm Hg. Art. If you exceed this dose, the risk of developing hypertension and other, no less dangerous diseases increases dramatically.
However, people with low blood pressure are allowed to drink up to 350 ml of beer per day.