Beer hops may soon help fight disease

Anyone who enjoys a cold one at the end of a long day can attest to the benefit of hops.

But hops, a key ingredient in beer, may also one day be used to fight cancer and inflammatory diseases.

Researchers say they are closer to finding a way extract the helpful compounds in hops and create them in a lab. The advance could help scientists create medicines from the compounds without having to extract them from plants.

The research was presented this week at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, a nonprofit scientific organization.

Kristopher Waynant of the University of Idaho, who led the study, said scientists must first be sure they are extracting the proper ingredients.

“Unfortunately, the first few pathways I proposed were not the best or most efficient,” Waynant said in a release from the American Chemical Society.

Alcohol, in moderation, may have other health benefits.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it could reduce your risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

But alcohol also creates numerous health problems, and the Mayo Clinic says it’s safest to avoid alcohol entirely.

The key to receiving any benefits is moderation.

This story was originally published March 16, 2016 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Beer hops may soon help fight disease."