Is it true that beer contains estrogen?

It is widely believed that the popular alcoholic drink contains the female sex hormone estrogen. And this supposedly explains the external changes in people who use it. We decided to check whether the hormone really is part of beer.

Here's how some doctors describe consequences of drinking a large amount of the drink: “A woman may begin to change in a “masculine” direction: her back becomes wider, a mustache begins to grow. What’s worse is that problems may arise with bearing a child, and in some cases they may even be diagnosed with infertility. In men, the opposite process occurs. Beer drinkers receive a lot of female hormones, so a man’s voice becomes higher and his appearance may change.” Stories about such transformations can be found in the format of “first-person” stories on various forums and even on specialized medical websites clinics.

Estrogens are the collective name for female steroid hormones. produced mainly in the ovarian follicles in women, in the testes and adrenal cortex in men, and also in small quantities in extragonadal tissue (bone, brain, adipose tissue, skin and hair follicles) in both sexes. 

Estrogens have a feminizing effect on the body. They stimulate the formation and development of the uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, mammary ducts, pigmentation in the area of ​​the nipples and genitals, the formation of secondary sexual characteristics of the female type, contribute to the timely rejection of the endometrium and regular bleeding. At the same time, estrogens work not only in the reproductive system - their role is high in cardiovascular And bone, as well as at work brain.

In humans allocate three types of estrogens: estradiol, estriol and estrone.

Having carefully studied compound beer, we will not find any of the listed hormones there. However, the hops included in the hop wort are probably indicated there. In hops contained phytoestrogen, similar in name but not in action, is a non-steroidal plant compound similar in structure to estradiol. In addition to beer, phytoestrogen contained in tea, coffee, cabbage, pumpkin, pears, plums, grapes, peanuts, beans, chickpeas, broccoli, sunflower seeds. However, even if you eat all this and drink beer, you don’t have to worry about changes in appearance.

Phytoestrogens - quite unstable substances, moreover, significantly weaker compared to true estrogens. To achieve an effect comparable to estrogen, you will need accept the dose of phytoestrogen is 500, or even 100,000 times greater, depending on its type.

That is, in terms of beer, you will have to consume a huge amount of this drink, significantly exceeding the weight of the person himself, every day for a long time in order to cause changes in the hormonal composition of the body. At the same time, women employed in hop harvesting and processing actually have can menstrual disorders may occur.

“Beer belly” and breasts arise not at all because of phytoestrogens, but because of the total calorie content the drink itself and the snacks often paired with it.

Thus, although beer contains phytoestrogens, similar in name and similar in structure to female sex hormones, the dose of beer in which they could contribute to hormonal changes in the body is so large that it exceeds several times the weight of the person himself.

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. The power of hormones
2. Women and hormones