Beer : Health and Nutrition

144 Chapter Six
Table 6.4 Amine content of beer, wine and cheese.
Spermine Spermidine Putrescine Cadaverine Histamine Tyramine Tryptamine
Beer
Lager n.d.–1.41 n.d.–6.0 0.85–9.8 0.15–2.6 n.d.–0.9 0.3–3.1 n.d.–0.8
Stout n.d.–2.05 0.31–1.38 1.99–5.84 0.3–1.37 n.d.–0.85 0.48–36.8 n.d.–10.1
Ice n.d.–0.3 0.6–0.8 3.9–4.5 0.1–0.2 n.d. 0.7–1.4 n.d.
Bock n.d.–1.73 0.25–2.1 1.55–6.3 0.15–1.72 n.d.–1.46 0.81–5.05 n.d.–3.5
Nonalcoholic
Wine
n.d.–1.2 1.35–2.3 2.3–4.95 n.d.–0.5 n.d.–0.62 0.6–3.3 n.d.–1.41
Pinot Noir n.d.–2.38 n.d.–2.35 2.43–203 n.d.–2.07 n.d.–23.98 n.d.–8.31 n.d.–5.51
Cabernet
Cheese
n.d.–1.17 n.d.–4.03 3.15–23.6 n.d.–1.51 n.d.–10.1 n.d.–7.53 n.d.
Blue — — 9.6–23.7 42.3–227 n.d.–409 2.2–166 n.d.–110
Cheddar — — n.d.–99.6 n.d.–40.8 n.d.–154 n.d.–153 n.d.–30
Gorgonzola — — 1.2–124 5.8–428 1.7–191 8.9–255 2.4–43
Gouda n.d.– 1.13 n.d.–1.35 n.d.–107 n.d.–99.5 n.d.–30.5 n.d.–67 n.d.–88
Mozzarella n.d.–1.31 n.d.–1.06 n.d.–1.37 n.d.–2.34 n.d.–11.3 n.d.–41 n.d.–10
Parmesan 0.07–0.09 n.d.–0.15 n.d.–4.3 n.d.–9.8 n.d.–27.2 n.d.–29 n.d.–1.7
Provolone 0.07–0.97 n.d.–2.38 n.d.–8.7 n.d.–111 n.d.–8.2 n.d.–10.9 n.d.–1.08
Swiss — — — — n.d.–250 n.d.–180 n.d.–1.6
Quantities are mg/L for beer and wine; mg/100g for cheese.
n.d. = not detectable; — = not determined.
Source: derived from Gloria (2003).
The depression and irritability that may result after drinking substantial quantities of
alcohol are a result of temporary cerebral damage, and the hypoglycaemia (low blood
sugar) that results from the liver’s decreased ability to release sugar into the bloodstream
and because the pancreas increases its production of insulin (Arky et al. 1968). This also
accounts for the heavy sweating that occurs despite dehydration, and also contributes
to headaches and dizziness.
Although sparkling wines and spirits were more frequently associated with migraine
attacks than were other types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, it seems that stressful
events were of more signi cance (Nicolodi & Sicuteri 1999). Chocolate, cheese and
even citrus fruits are cited more frequently than alcohol as triggers of migraine attacks
(Costa & Gloria 2003). Even so, clearly a substantial proportion of people have a
migraine response to alcoholic drinks. Apart from the vasoactive amines, ethanol itself
may be implicated. It is a vasodilator, probably as a consequence of an effect on the
central vasomotor centres rather than directly on the blood vessels. Ethanol also inhibits
monoamine oxidase, thus causing a build up of amines.
Excess consumption of alcohol leads to alcoholic dementia with dif culties in memory
recall and lateral thinking skills (Dreyfuss 1979). Reversible cerebral atrophy or shrinkage
of the brain may also result. The two conditions of chief signi cance in this context
are Korsakoff’s syndrome and Wernicke’s encephalopathy (Lieber 2001).