Hydrating Beer: Electrolytes Added to Beer by Researchers to Ward off Hangovers

Australian researchers have created a hydrating beer by simply adding in electrolytes. Electrolytes are commonly found in sports drinks. The new beer will theoretically allows drinkers to enjoy the beer without being dehydrated. The team at Griffith University's Health Institute tested the idea of modifying beer, and noticed that the alterations didn't alter the taste, however the alcohol content had to be reduced.

"Of the four different beers the subjects consumed, our augmented light beer was by far the most well retained by the body, meaning it was the most effective at rehydrating the subjects," Ben Desbrow, an associate professor who led the study said in a statement.

The team modified the ingredients in four beers-two commercial, one with average alcohol content and one that was very light. They noted that when they altered the light beer with the electrolytes it was a third more effective at hydrating drinkers than other normal beers.

The new invention could help with hangovers which are primarily caused by dehydration. "Alcohol is a diuretic, so you end up losing water. And the dehydration effect is probably the most severe contributor to hangover," says Dr. Gary Murray, the program director for the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to The Huffington Post.

"The more you drink and the higher the concentration of alcohol in the drinks you choose, the more dehydrated you're going to be. According to an overview of the research, that's because alcohol suppresses the release of the hormone vasopressin, which normally repurposes water released by the kidneys back into the body. With the absence of vasopressin, that water is marked for the bladder and eliminated. Alcohol also causes inflammation of the stomach lining, which can cause diarrhea -- another dehydrating condition," reported The Huffington Post.

"In the morning, that translates to classic dehydration symptoms: a headache as the body borrows water from the brain, causing temporary tissue shrinkage; thirst; dry mouth; nausea; and even dizziness."

"Desbrow published the results of his hydrating beer research in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism earlier this year, but beer fans will likely have to wait for the electrolyte-filled brews to hit shelves," reported The Huffington Post.