Czech Republic: Medical study shows moderate intake of beer suppresses vascular diseases

Two beers a day can improve blood circulation and reduce heart-attack risks, according to a study by Czech medical researchers funded by the country's largest breweries, Raw Story published October 19. The findings released the same day "confirmed that moderate intake of Czech beer suppresses vascular diseases caused by the precipitation of fat in veins and important organs, above all heart and brain," researcher Jaroslav Racek told the CTK news agency.

Racek, of the Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Haematology in Plzen, conducted the study with colleagues from Charles University and the Plzen Teaching Hospital.

They studied the effects of two beers per day - one small beer at lunchtime and a large in the evening - on 93 volunteers with an average age of 38.

Volunteers drank two beers for 30 days and none during the 30 days before and after the drinking period.

The study found beer had a "negligible" impact on subject livers but helped digestion and blood circulation, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and heart attack.

Czechs are the world's leaders in per-capita beer consumption, drinking about 157 litres per person annually.