TAKE 2 BEERS AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

HEAD POUNDING? It’s possible that relief may actually be in a glass of beer instead of the aspirin bottle. According to new research, drinking two beers is more effective at relieving pain than taking painkillers, and not just for hangovers. Over the course of 18 studies, researchers from the University of Greenwich found that consuming two pints of beer can cut discomfort by a quarter. By elevating the blood alcohol content to approximately O.O8%, the body is given “a small elevation of pain threshold” and thus a “moderate to large reduction in pain intensity ratings”. The researchers explained: “Findings suggest that alcohol is an effective analgesic that delivers clinically-relevant reductions in ratings of pain intensity, which could explain alcohol misuse in those with persistent pain, despite its potential consequences for long-term health.” It’s not clear, however, whether alcohol reduces feelings of pain because it affects brain receptors or because it just lowers anxiety, which then causes people to believe that the pain isn’t as bad. Dr. Trevor Thompson, who led the study commented: “[Alcohol] can be compared to opioid drugs such as codeine and the effect is more powerful than paracetamol. If we can make a drug without the harmful side-effects, then we could have something that is potentially better than what is out there at the moment.”