You may not have noticed it by watching your weird Uncle Dave at the family holiday parties growing up, but it turns out that an element in beer may actually be good for your brain. Scientists discovered that xanthohumol, a type of flavonoid found in beer, seems to help cognitive function, at least in young mice. They tested this hypothesis in a study that ran in Behavioral Brain Research this week. Xanthohumol did not have the same impact on older mice.
Before you get your hopes up, the dose given to the mice was quite high–so high, in fact, that if an average adult participated in the study, he or she would actually need to drink 2,000 liters of beer a day to equal what the mice consumed. With that in mind, don’t run out the door to buy a six pack if you’re reading this before you need to leave for work.
What this study ultimately proves is that this flavonoid and others like it should be studied much closer. Researchers believe that this flavonoids like this and others (like the ones found in blueberries, red wines and even dark chocolate, may play a role in helping you form memories.
