A group of researchers from CINTESIS – Center for Health Technology and Services Research and the NOVA Medical School of the Nova University of Lisbon will start a research project aiming to evaluate the effect of beer consumption on the intestinal microbiota (gut flora), and on the metabolic and lipid profile; and to understand the role of alcohol in such effect on health individuals.
Led by Conceição Calhau, a researcher and specialist in Nutrition and Metabolism at CINTESIS, the clinical trial is seeking to recruit thirty healthy male volunteers, within 18 and 65 years of age, willing to take a beer a day, with or without alcohol content (5.20%, 0.45% e 0% of alcohol), during 4 weeks.
“The collaboration in this project does not entail the intake of any medication, just the daily consumption, preferably at dinner time, of a beer provided by the research team”, clarify the researchers. The participants will be examined by a health professional at the beginning and at the end of the study, and blood, urine and stool tests will be performed.
The tests results obtained before and after beer consumption will be evaluated during the study, and data will later be compared to learn the effect on health.
“All tests are of the responsibility of the research team”, points out Conceição Calhau, reminding us that participation in this study gives the volunteers access to the global results of their medical and metabolic evaluation, and an opportunity to contribute to increasing knowledge in the field.
“The impact of the consumption of alcoholic beverages that have bioactive compounds (namely polyphenols) on health is an urgent topic in biomedical sciences”, sustains the CINTESIS researcher and professor at the NOVA Medical School, revealing that “participating in this study is an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to the knowledge on the metabolic effects of beer consumpotion”.
Those interested in collaborating can register via e-mail to microal.trial@nms.unl.pt or by the telephone 919 364 169. At a first stage, the study will take place in Lisbon, at the premises of the NOVA Medical School (Campo Mártires da Pátria, 130). A second stage of the trial should take place in Porto.
The study was approved by the Ethics Council of the Nova Medical School of the Nova University of Lisbon. Volunteers’ information will be handled in an aggregated manner, preserving the participants’ confidentiality.