Does drinking beer reduce your risk of breast cancer?

The research In a study published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, American researchers tested the effects of extract from hops – the flower cones that give beer a bitter taste — on breast cancer cells. They found that one hop-extract compound inhibited the chemical onset of cancer in estrogen.

The caveat The study was performed in a lab; the extract and key bioactive compound might not react the same way in the body. The concentration of hops in an extract might also be different than in beer, says Mahnaz Khanavi, a research associate in pharmacognosy and natural medicines at the University of British Columbia. “There could be thousands of compounds in an extract but only one compound at work here. The concentration may also be completely different indifferent variations of the plant, especially from different countries.”

The take-away It’s too early to say if a pint a day will make the risk of breast cancer go away. Khanavi says it could take up to 30 more years of research to fully investigate hops' effect on cancer. At the very least, a follow-up with a controlled human study is needed before hopping to any conclusions.

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