The University of Greenwich conducted a study in 2017 that found drinking two pints of beer is 24 percent more effective than popular painkillers for providing pain relief. Researchers from the London University compared 18 controlled experiments involving 400 people exposed to various forms of induced pain, including cold, heat and pressure.
According to the study published in the Journal of Pain, alcohol is actually ‘an effective analgesic’ that effectively reduces pain intensity by a ‘clinically relevant’ amount. Psychologist Dr. Trevor Thompson, the study’s leader, said that ‘robust’ evidence was found that alcohol’s effects on pain are comparable to opioid drugs such as codeine.
‘It’s more potent than paracetamol,’ he said. Alcohol consumption resulted in a 24 percent drop in people’s pain ratings after drinking about four units of alcohol. Researchers have theorized that alcohol may act on the same nerve receptors as ketamine, dulling the feeling of pain. The university has also speculated that alcohol may reduce pain indirectly by decreasing anxiety.
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In the study, the link between alcohol and pain relief was proposed as an explanation for alcohol misuse in those with persistent pain, despite the potentially harmful effects of alcohol. It is expected that researchers will discover the chemical compounds responsible for the painkilling effects of alcohol without its toxicity, which can lead to future painkillers. As an analgesic, beer should not be consumed daily as a method of managing persistent pain – excessive drinking of beer is still associated with a number of health risks.
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