A Queens man's tumor grew large inside him for over a decade because it was long believed to be a simple "beer belly." Can beer really lead to serious belly bulge?
Beer Belly To Tumor
Just recently, Kevin Daly's ordeal caught the attention of many because what was believed to be a beer belly turned out to be a massive tumor. As it turns out, the tumor had been growing inside him for over a decade and grew to such a size that made his gut look rather enlarged.
Fortunately, Daly followed his instincts and pressed his doctor to conduct a CAT scan where the real problem was found. So far, the 30-pound tumor has been removed, and his organs have returned to their right place. Daly's experience shed light on liposarcoma, a type of tumor that arises from fat tissue and often occurs in the thighs, behind the knee, legs, or abdomen. However, perhaps it also sheds light on the a fairly common condition that many people in the alcohol-loving world experience －the beer belly.
Can Beer Really Cause A Beer Belly?
Beer varies in content by brand and type, but the regular contents of a 12-ounce regular beer with four percent alcohol includes 153 calories, 14 grams of alcohol, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of protein. Beer with higher alcohol content tends to have higher caloric content.
Previous studies have linked alcohol consumption with an increased risk of gaining belly fat, and in fact, another study found that men who consumed three drinks have 80 percent more belly fat compared to men who did not consume as much alcohol. Further, the link between belly fat and alcohol consumption is stronger in men than women because men tend to drink about three times more than women and because they store more fat in the belly when they gain weight.
Beer And Belly Bulge
Evidently, there are three major ways in which alcohol can trigger weight gain around the belly: it increases calorie intake, prevents the burning of other fuel sources, and contains phytoestrogens.
Apart from the calorie content of the beer itself, which is about equal to soft drinks, some previous studies have shown that drinking alcohol may result in a short-term increase in appetite. Further, because it is beverage, alcohol tends to be discounted in the count for daily calorie intake.
Another way that beer may be contributing to body fat is by taking up the breakdown process because the body prioritized the breakdown of alcohol over other fuel sources, including stored fat. This, however, could depend on the intake. In a previous study, it was found that long-term drinking, if it is done regularly but in moderate amounts, does not lead to weight increase or belly fat.
Lastly, one of the main ingredients of beer, hops, is rather high in phytoestrogens, which are compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. As such, it has been suggested that perhaps beer intake could result in hormonal changes that increase the chances of storing belly fat, even among men.
Fight The Bulge
Belly fat is one of the most dangerous type of fat because it can actually interfere with the body's hormones and increase the risk for diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. As such, simple moderation in consumption may help alcohol lovers to enjoy beer while still keeping the body at a healthy and balanced weight.
