Cheers! A key ingredient found in beer, effective against a respiratory virus, may help ward off winter sniffles and cold, a new study suggests.

  Japanese researchers at Sapporo Medical University found that humulone, a chemical compound in hops, was effective against the respiratory syncytial (RS) virus and was found to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

  "The RS virus can cause serious pneumonia and breathing difficulties for infants and toddlers, but no vaccination is available at the moment to contain it," Jun Fuchimoto, a researcher from Sapporo Breweries said.

  Particularly common during cold winter months, the RS virus can also cause symptoms similar to that of the common cold in adults, international online news web media reported.

  Sapporo Breweries now hopes to create humulone-containing food and (non-alcoholic) beverages that both adults and children can consume.

  It's not the first time that the health benefits of beer have been touted.

  Previous research has suggested that drinking beer may help build better bones thanks to its high silicon content.

  The mineral is important for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue and helping reduce the risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, the report said.

  While experts agree that beer may be beneficial for some people when consumed in moderation, guzzling too much beer-or alcohol - can result in weight gain, dehydration and a plethora of other physical and social hazards.

  Since only small quantities of humulone can be found in beer, researchers say you would have to drink adequate amounts of it to benefit from the anti-virus effect.

  Another leading beer expert, Professor Ramon Etruch of the University Hospital in Barcelona, had previously said that only a single unit's worth of beer is required to obtain some of the beneficial health effects.

  干杯！一项新研究指出，在啤酒中发现的一种关键成分能有效对抗呼吸道病毒，啤酒可能有助于防治冬日感冒和伤风。

  日本札幌医科大学的研究人员发现，啤酒花所含的化合物蛇麻烯能有效对抗呼吸道合胞病毒，而且有消炎作用。

  札幌酿酒厂的研究人员渊本说：“呼吸道合胞病毒会引发婴幼儿严重的肺炎和呼吸困难，但目前还没有可以遏制这一病毒的疫苗。”

  网络媒体国际在线消息报道说，呼吸道合胞病毒在寒冷的冬天特别常见，这一病毒还可能引发类似于成人普通感冒的症状。

  札幌酿酒厂现在希望能制作出成人和小孩都能食用的含蛇麻烯的食物和（无酒精）饮料。

  这并非第一次宣扬啤酒对健康的益处。

  先前的研究显示，由于啤酒中的硅含量很高，喝啤酒可有助于骨骼强健。

  报告称，硅物质对于骨骼和结缔组织的生长和发育很重要，能帮助降低患骨质疏松症的风险。

  尽管专家们一致认为适量饮用啤酒对某些人有益，但饮用过量啤酒或酒精则会导致体重增加、脱水及其他许多身体损伤和社会危害。

  因为啤酒中蛇麻烯的含量很少，研究人员表示，一个人必须喝足够量的啤酒才能有抗病毒的效果。

  另一位权威啤酒专家、巴塞罗纳大学医院的拉蒙·艾特鲁赫教授曾表示，只需喝半品脱啤酒，就能对健康产生一些益处。