Wine as good as drugs for bone strength

One or two glasses of wine a day worked as well as drugs at maintaining bone strength, new research has discovered.

Regular moderate intake of alcohol after the menopause helps to maintain bone strength, according to an international review team who analysed a study by the University of Oregon.

In comparison, they concluded, abstaining from alcohol leads to a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

Instead modest drinking could work just as well as some drugs, suggested the review, which was published in the Menopause journal.

The study by researchers  at the University of Oregon showed while women were drinking 19g of alcohol a day – about two small glasses of wine – they had a drop in loss of old bone that improved the balance between old and new bone, maintaining strength.

When the women were asked to stop drinking, their “bone turnover” went up.