Recently there were some prophetic headlines - Beer Makes Bones Stronger, or Beer Boosts Bones and Fends off Osteoporosis. Being somewhat of a MasterBrewer, I thought I should investigate further (for science. I give my life over to scientific discovery!)
Well it seems that silicon, a metalloid element found in glass and sand, exists in compounds within beer, especially pale, hops-rich beers. A paper in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture stated that commercially available beer contains between 6.4 and 56.5 mg of silicon per liter. A 2004 study from the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has associated silicon intake with increased bone density. Thus the logical sequence must be 1) beer contains silicon, 2) silicon promotes bone health; 3) therefore, beer promotes bone health.
Now before we all head out to the local tavern, a couple of mitigating factors are present. First the recommended daily allowance of silicon is currently unknown. Second, you can get silicon from other foods and liquids. It can be found in many unprocessed, unrefined foods, especially plants. Lettuce, cabbage, asparagus, olives, cucumbers, radishes, white onions, and even bananas all contain silicon. Beer, made with barley and hops, naturally retains a small portion of this silicon content. Third, since no one has ever been found to be silicon-deficient, virtually any diet contains enough silicon. Hey, even water has it. (Beer has water too!) Finally, more than a few beers may reverse or negate the positive health effects of beer's silicon content. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that, while having 1-2 drinks per day was associated with higher bone mass density; having more than 2 drinks a day was associated with lower BMD. Ah, the old too much of a good thing is not a better thing.
So in the spirit of balanced journalism let’s just say these are the facts, you decide. As for me, I think I’ll have another Sam Adams! Want to join me?
(Special thanks to the book of lists web site for doing all the research for me. I was too busy having a couple of beers…)
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