Effect of non‐alcoholic beer containing matured hop bitter acids on mood states in healthy adults: A single‐arm pilot study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of non-alcoholic beer containing matured hop bitter acids on mood states among healthy adults older than 20 years. This study was an open-label longitudinal intervention design in which each participant served as their control. For 3 weeks, we evaluated the effect of non-alcoholic beer containing 35 mg of matured hop bitter acids on mood, sleep quality, and work performance. The data of 97 participants (age range: 23-72 years, median age: 42) were analyzed. After the intervention, we found that matured hop bitter acids significantly improved total mood state, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and vigor, compared with the baseline. Furthermore, sleep quality and absolute presenteeism were significantly improved after the intervention compared with the baseline. The present exploratory study suggested that 3-week supplementation with matured hop bitter acids improved mood and peripheral symptoms in persons of a wide range of ages.Although further investigation is needed, the findings suggested that non-alcoholic beer in daily life might become a choice for maintaining mood states.

Actional Mechanism of Functional Ingredients in Beer and Barley for Human Health

“…The non-alcoholic beer in daily life can maintain mood states, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and vigor, sleep quality and absolute presenteeism [120]. Hop bitter acids in beer might be beneficial for cognition and mood state [117].…”

“…The specific bitter taste receptor activation by matured hop bitter acids drives downstream Ca response and cholecystokinin production in enteroendocrine cells as well as activate the gut-brain axis [197]. The non-alcoholic beer in daily life can maintain mood states by hop bitter acids improved mood and peripheral symptoms as well as enhanced stress resilience-related hippocampal dopaminergic activity in human [120]. Iso-α-acids in beer suppress hippocampal microglial inflammation and improving cognitive decline, however matured hop bitter acids activate the vagus nerve and suppress neuronal damage and depression-like behavior induced by inflammation [198].…”