Beer a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)?

There is 40 years of research linking aluminum to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but so far scientists have not figured out what the causative mechanism might be. Nonetheless, the association is strong enough that some are focusing on ways to decrease aluminum levels in the body, theorizing this might possibly lower risk for AD. Recently, researchers from the University of Alcalá in Madrid conducted a study on aluminum and beer consumption — beer contains silicon because of its manufacturing process, and the study authors wanted to determine if its silicon content would decrease neural toxicity associated with aluminum. Since the study did indeed show this, it leaves one to wonder if drinking beer could possibly reduce AD risk — what a party might celebrate that finding if it turned out to be true!

The study separated mice into four groups. Each week, group one received aluminum nitrate in its drinking water as well as 2.5 ml of commercial beer… group two received aluminum nitrate in drinking water plus silicon in the form of silicic acid… group three received aluminum nitrate in drinking water but no silicon (positive control)… and group four received distilled water with no aluminum, beer or silicon (negative control). Finding: Silicon from the beer reduced aluminum uptake from the digestive tract and slowed the accumulation of aluminum in brain tissue and the body. It also helped to excrete it from the body.