Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Suds Make You Smarter

Kiwi study shows booze is good for the brain

By Kate Schwartz, Newser User

Posted Oct 3, 2007 5:55 PM CDT

(Newser) – An apple a day, a daily vitamin, a pint of beer? New Zealand scientists who fed rats zero, modest and heavy amounts of ethanol learned that moderate daily alcohol intake will improve memory, reports the Register. The breakthrough, touted last week by Scientific American, is "similar to a glass of wine protecting against heart disease."

The brain boost kicks in at 1 to 3 drinks, depending on a drinker's size, metabolism and genetic background. But the study warns that drinking to "drown sorrows" could promote traumatic memories and lead to more drinking. And don't try to convince yourself that downing a few more will make you even smarter: The teetotaler rats fared better than the drunkards.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

For maximum cognitive effects, the New Zealand study recommended moderate, regular and enthusiastic alcohol intake, advising against both binge-drinking and abstinence. (Inded Open)

A study out of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, may confirm that, as enthusiasts have long suspected, beer makes you clever. (Shutterstock.com)

Specially-created transgenic rats, supplied with the equivalent of different beer dosages, demonstrated that moderate daily alcohol intake conferred "heightened cognition". (Shutterstock.com)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Animated Lego men extol the virtues of beer in song. (Aondeali (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

For Good Health, Have a Beer

Drink offers the same benefits as wine: researchers

(NEWSER) - Beer lovers, rejoice: ale or lager in moderation is good for you, a new study suggests. It offers folic acid, calcium, vitamins, and iron, and its benefits match those of wine, the Daily Telegraph reports. The study of 1,249 men and women older than 57 found that those who drank beer regularly and moderately—think small glass instead of a pint—had a lower risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. More»

Alcohol May Lower Risk of Kidney Cancer

Still probably bad for your liver, though

(NEWSER) - Adding to the cacophony of conflicting recommendation about alcohol consumption, a new study finds that drinking two or more glasses of red wine might reduce your risk of kidney cancer. In a study comparing the drinking habits of kidney cancer patients to others, red-wine drinkers had 40% lower risk than non-drinkers, with white wine and strong beer producing similar results. More»

Brewing at Chicago Starbucks: Beer, Wine

Chicago-area stores to offer booze, entertainment

(NEWSER) - There's still no chance of getting an Irish coffee in Starbucks, but beer and wine will soon be available in up to seven of the coffee chain's Chicago-area outlets. Following a model first introduced in Seattle and Portland, Starbucks aims to boost traffic in the evenings by offering beer and wine, as well as plate snacks like bread with olive oil and live music and poetry readings in some stores, the Chicago Tribune reports. The boozy new locations are set to open by the end of next year. More»

Beer Can Be Good For Your Heart

...at least in moderation

(NEWSER) - Bottoms up, beer lovers, because wine fans aren’t the only ones who get to rationalize their drinking habits anymore! Researchers examining 16 studies involving some 200,000 participants have concluded that drinking about a pint of beer a day reduces your risk of heart disease by an average of 31%, LiveScience reports, a benefit similar to that of drinking a glass of wine a day. More»

Russia Decides Beer Is ... Alcohol

Change will allow country to regulate its sale

(NEWSER) - Historic changes in Russia: Beer, long classified as "foodstuff," is about to get upgraded to alcohol, "dragging Russian alcohol regulation into the 21st century," quips the Telegraph . Beer consumption has tripled in Russia in the last 15 years thanks to the fact that it's been cheap and only lightly regulated. A bill set to end beer's special status passed the lower house of Parliament yesterday; the new law would curtail beer sales at night and limit the size of cans and bottles to about 11 ounces. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Suds Make You Smarter