If nonalcoholic beer helped athletes recover more quickly from grueling workouts, then it could allow them to train harder. From 2011 to 2016, German consumption of nonalcoholic beer grew 43 percent even as overall beer consumption declined, according to Euromonitor International. Germans drink more nonalcoholic beer than any nation, except Iran. At most major German marathons, nonalcoholic beer is available to runners at the finish line. Nonalcoholic beer has a lower sugar content compared with many sports drinks, and Germans drank three times as much nonalcoholic beer as they did sports drinks in 2016.

Source: New York Times February 19, 2018 15:55 UTC