Moderate Beer Drinking Could Improve Bone Health Among Women

A study of 1,700 women concluded that those who drank moderate amounts of beer had stronger bones than nondrinkers, although researchers said it might be the plant hormones in the beer at work, not the alcohol.

The BBC reported Aug. 16 that researchers from the University of Extremadura in Caceres, Spain, studied middle-aged volunteers and compared their beer-drinking habits to the results of ultrasound scans of their bones. Women classified as light or moderate drinkers (a maximum of 5 units of alcohol daily) had better bone density than nondrinkers, researchers found.

The study was published in the journal Nutrition (PDF).