A new study says that moderate amounts of wine consumption could have a beneficial effect on women by helping to prevent the thinning of bones. Researchers of the University of Oregon claim that post menopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine may maintain bone strength better than women who abstain from alcohol.
Wine could help prevent bone loss
Women who find that the best way to wind up a day is to kick off the shoes and settle down to a nice glass of wine may have reason to say “Cheers!” In the study, 40 women aged approximately 56 years of age were examined.
It was found that women who drank about 19 grams of alcohol a day had lower “bone turnover”. This means that their balance of old and new bone was better than teetotal women. Their thinning and weakening of bones was less and their risk of developing osteoporosis was lower. When the women stopped drinking, their bone loss appeared to have accelerated.
The research however pointed out that there is an optimum amount of alcohol that can be drunk by women. Drinking too much can actually have an opposite effect and could lead to an increase in bone fracture risk as well as increased falls risk.
Pros of alcohol use
It has been seen that alcohol can offer some protection against heart disease as well as strokes. It could also reduce risk of developing diabetes or developing gall stones. It is seen to benefit older adults, in particular those who already have some risk factor of developing heart disease such as cholesterol. Wine in particular is supposed to lower inflammation and oxidative damage because of its resveratrol content.
Cons of alcohol use
Alcohol use also has its negative impacts; particularly when consumed in excess of moderation. In fact binge drinking is known to cause a range of problems including negative impacts on physical health, psychological well being as well as interpersonal relationships.
Alcohol is not seen to have a uniform beneficial impact. Alcohol, even in moderation could do more harm than good among younger or middle aged people.
Alcohol is also known to increase risk of breast cancer in women and women who drink should consult a doctor about taking folate supplements to offset the negative impacts of the alcohol.