Lager beer can improve gut health in men, according to a new study.

When consumed in moderation it can improve gut microbiota, which plays a role in digestion, according to the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

In the study 19 men were divided into two groups who drank a 330ml bottle of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager with dinner for four weeks.

At the end of the test period, both groups had greater bacterial diversity in their gut microbiome and showed improvements in their intestinal health.

Professor Ana Faria of the University Lisbon, one of the authors of the study, said: “One beer per day, with or without alcohol, can be used as a strategy to improve our microbiota, as part of a well-balanced diet.

“But we need to be careful with the results so that we don’t pass the message that the more the better.”

The men in the study were aged between 23 and 58 and they were randomly divided into two groups.

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They were asked to not change their physical activity or their dietary habits.

By the end of the experiment faecal sample showed the men had a greater range of bacteria in their gut.

Studies have shown when more types of bacteria are present, people have a lower chance of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Beer contains polyphenols and microorganisms that can impact the variety of microbes in the human gut.

A previous study showed that when men and women consumed non-alcoholic lager beer for 30 days, their gut microbiome diversity increased.

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