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This is something I've noticed on a few occasions. If I drink a few bottles of beer in the evening, my MS symptoms seem noticeably improved the next day. Last time I did that I was able to raise my left leg significantly higher than I usually can, and walking was easier too.

So I have three questions:
1) Has anyone else noticed a similar effect?
2) Does beer alter blood flow to the brain?
3) Does beer do anything else that might cause the improvement in mobility?

BTW My preferred brand is Coors Light. Don't know if that matters.

Alcohol dilates surface blood vessels, but I don't think it has an effect on the deep veins. I don't know. I've always thought a glass of red wine hit the spot nicely, but I never noticed any differences in symptoms the next day. It's a way to relax, which might brighten one's mood, but mood-brightening wouldn't make leg raises or walking easier. If it's working for you, though, that is reason to keep drinking (in moderation)!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 174615.htm

After one drink of either red wine or alcohol, blood vessels were more “relaxed” or dilated, which reduced the amount of work the heart had to do. But, after two drinks, the heart rate, amount of blood pumped out of the heart, and action of the sympathetic nervous system all increased. At the same time, the ability of the blood vessels to expand in response to an increase in blood flow diminished.

Two drinks of either alcohol or red wine:
•Increase sympathetic nerve activity, heart rate, and the amount of blood the heart pumps out, and also blunt the ability of the brachial artery to expand further in response to blood flow.

If the heart pumps out more blood, that might increase flow to and through the brain.

quote - Researchers have confirmed that drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol can affect blood coagulation -- acting as a "blood thinner"

i disagree Cece. i think mood can affect walking by increasing strength and energy.

also does the beer help you sleep better which would also mean more energy/strength

I don't think beer helps me sleep because I end up making more trips to the bathroom.
I guess it does improve my mood though. I'm reluctant to try this out long term because I don't want to get into the habit of drinking that much beer. Don't know if wine has a similar effect because I rarely drink it.

David1949 wrote:I don't think beer helps me sleep because I end up making more trips to the bathroom.
I guess it does improve my mood though. I'm reluctant to try this out long term because I don't want to get into the habit of drinking that much beer. Don't know if wine has a similar effect because I rarely drink it.

if it is the blood thinner that is helping, a baby aspirin will do the same thing. of course, make sure you have your doctor okay whatever you do.

You know what works even better than beer for increasing blood flow?
Venoplasty of the jugulars and/or azygous.

But it is interesting about alcohol having an effect on coagulation.

Im sorry technically it does nothing for blood flow but rather it is miraculous for urine flow. So cash you check, get drunk, and pis like a racehorse.
WWW.THEGREEKFROMDETROIT.COM

Cece wrote:You know what works even better than beer for increasing blood flow?
Venoplasty of the jugulars and/or azygous.

Point taken.

I haven't noticed anything but am willing to continue the effort in the hope of finding something. Perhaps we can get a brewery to sponsor us.

David1949 wrote:This is something I've noticed on a few occasions. If I drink a few bottles of beer in the evening, my MS symptoms seem noticeably improved the next day. Last time I did that I was able to raise my left leg significantly higher than I usually can, and walking was easier too.

So I have three questions:
1) Has anyone else noticed a similar effect?
2) Does beer alter blood flow to the brain?
3) Does beer do anything else that might cause the improvement in mobility?

BTW My preferred brand is Coors Light. Don't know if that matters.

I approve except for brand, but that's a personal choice. I stand ready to push this research to the bleeding edge. Oh dear god let Beer be the cure.

tilt

Well I don't think I've found a cure but maybe a few drinking buddies!

David1949 wrote:Well I don't think I've found a cure but maybe a few drinking buddies!

We won't know that it's not a cure without some serious investigation.
Someone is going to have to be in the sham group, and only think they're drinking beer!

Last September I noticed that having some wine with dinner seemed to help my dead cold grey feet get warm. I kept a log and sometimes both feet would get warm but often it was just one for about a month and a half. Then by Christmas, I could get both feet toasty consistently. I figured it was the vasodilating effect. Last month, my feet seemed too hot with wine. They were also uncomfortable (like chapped or surface burns, nothing visible) during the day at room temperature if uncovered. So I have mostly stopped the wine and most evenings, my feet are warm anyway now most days. I'm not sure what to make of this but there was a definite effect. I could feel the blood rushing to my feet, can't say I noticed any other symptom relief. I did not do any comparisons of schnaps to beer to wine, although some metaxa also seemed to help.

Cece wrote:

David1949 wrote:Well I don't think I've found a cure but maybe a few drinking buddies!

We won't know that it's not a cure without some serious investigation.
Someone is going to have to be in the sham group, and only think they're drinking beer!

Please feel free to sign up for my clinical study. As the organiser I decided that both David and I aren't in the sham group. I have set up the trial below:


David gets


I get:



And the folks that get the sham treatment get:




tilt

Thekla wrote:Last September I noticed that having some wine with dinner seemed to help my dead cold grey feet get warm. I kept a log and sometimes both feet would get warm but often it was just one for about a month and a half. Then by Christmas, I could get both feet toasty consistently. I figured it was the vasodilating effect. Last month, my feet seemed too hot with wine. They were also uncomfortable (like chapped or surface burns, nothing visible) during the day at room temperature if uncovered. So I have mostly stopped the wine and most evenings, my feet are warm anyway now most days. I'm not sure what to make of this but there was a definite effect. I could feel the blood rushing to my feet, can't say I noticed any other symptom relief. I did not do any comparisons of schnaps to beer to wine, although some metaxa also seemed to help.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

tilt