Study Finds Higher Vitamin B6 Levels in Beer Than Previously Estimated

Researchers analyzed 65 commercially available German beers using a new laboratory technique, as reported by Euronews. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, determined that vitamin B6 levels in these beers were higher than previous estimates.

Concentrations varied by beer type, with bock beer showing the highest average of 808 micrograms per litre. Vitamin B6 supports brain, blood, and immune system functions and is found in foods such as fish, organ meats, potatoes, non-citrus fruits, soya beans, legumes, peanuts, and fortified cereals.

The body cannot produce it independently. The study's authors stated that a standard beer serving could meet approximately 15% of daily vitamin B6 requirements.

The research linked variations in vitamin B6 primarily to raw materials rather than brewing methods. Beers brewed from barley contained significantly higher levels, as barley has nearly four times more vitamin B6 than rice. Standard lagers averaged 515 micrograms per litre, while wheat and rice beers had the lowest concentrations.

No significant difference was found in vitamin B6 content between regular lager and alcohol-free versions. Alcohol-free beers produced by full fermentation followed by alcohol removal through methods like vacuum distillation or membrane filtration showed a positive impact on B6 concentration.

One alcohol-free lager sample contained 761 micrograms per litre, enough for a 500ml bottle to cover about a quarter of a woman's recommended daily intake.

deficiency affects around one in five European teenagers and one in ten Americans, with links to depression, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation. However, the World Health Organization states there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, associated with cancer, liver disease, heart issues, and negative brain effects.

A study published last year in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, involving about 560,000 people in the UK and US, found that higher alcohol consumption correlated with increased dementia risk. >"For anyone who chooses to drink, our study suggests that greater alcohol consumption leads to higher risk of dementia," — Stephen Burgess, a statistician at the University of Cambridge.

Another study using brain scans linked one or two daily units of alcohol to reductions in brain volume and structural changes potentially related to memory loss and dementia.