Alcohol for bone health
osteoporosis, say researchers from a British hospital.
A team from London's St Thomas Hospital found that women who drank an average of eight alcohol units a week had significantly denser bones than those who consumed very little.
However, the study, published in the July issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, failed to establish a clear link between bone production and alcohol intake.
The researchers used data from questionnaires including information on alcohol intake, smoking habits, and demographic information completed by 46 twin pairs. Associations between intra-pair differences in bone mineral density, bone markers, and alcohol consumption were assessed by regression analysis before and after adjustment for body mass index, smoking (past and present) and the use of HRT.
The results showed that alcohol consumption was associated with significantly greater bone mineral density but there was no suggestion that alcohol influenced bone turnover. The findings did however confirm that smoking had a deleterious effect on bone mass.
Previous research from the UK has found that beer consumption may help prevent osteoporosis through its high bioavailability of silicon, required for bone formation.
The World Health Organisation has defined osteoporosis as the second leading health care problem after cardiovascular disease. The problem has prompted strong interest in supplements and foods to protect bone health, with the foods for bone health set to grow 7.6 per cent a year to reach £86.4 million in 2007 in the UK market, according to Datamonitor.
