World - Women A glass of wine could protect your bones

New research finds that one or two glasses of wine a day helped protect older women from thinning bones as well as drugs did.

In a study announced August 2, a review team from the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research found regular moderate intake of alcohol after menopause helped maintain bone strength.

The experts analysed a study from the University of Oregon in the US and found that abstaining from drinking led to a higher risk of developing osteoporosis, while modest drinking worked just as well as some drugs designed to strengthen bones. The review, which involved 40 healthy postmenopausal women of an average age of 56, was published in the journal Menopause.

Yet the flip side is that while drinking may perhaps protect bones, excessive alcohol can increase the risk of fractures due to falls, writes The Telegraph in the UK on the new findings.

A separate Harvard University study found that women could pave the way to healthy aging by imbibing one alcoholic drink a day -- as long as it's just one, no more, no less.

A study of 14,000 middle-aged women concluded that those who drank in moderation -- meaning about the same as a pint of beer, a small glass of wine, or a single measure of spirits -- were far more likely to reach 70 in good health than heavier drinkers or teetotalers.

AFP