First, you won’t get drunk or even remotely buzzed from merely sitting in a beer bath. According to the Misugi Resort in Japan, the bathwater in beer spas consists of water combined with beer to dilute it, making the ABV about 0.03 percent. Aside from alcohol, the ingredients in beer — water, grain, hops, and yeast — make beer a source of antioxidants, B vitamins (except B12), as well as other vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
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This said, beer spas tout a variety of health benefits, which are often attributed to the ingredients in beer. For instance, Prague’s Original Beer Spa highlights the therapeutic properties of brewer’s yeast, stating that it “helps to heal inflammation of the liver and is ideal for increased physical and mental exercise and sport.”
However, it’s important to approach these claims with a healthy glug of skepticism. Despite the ancient roots of beer spas, many of their benefits are inferred based on anecdotal evidence or research conducted with concentrates and extracts. While there is some promising research on drinking beer and taking brewer’s yeast orally, as is written about in the journal, Hormones, the same can’t be said for topical use (including bathing in diluted beer). The benefits you experience may have more to do with the beer you drink than the beer you soak in. (But hey, it still sounds like a good time!)
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