Is beer really all that bad for you? A new survey suggests it could strengthen the bones

IT SEEMS there isn't a week goes by when women are not berated for succumbing to a laddette drinking culture.

If you believe the headlines, hordes of them are drinking their own bodyweights in chardonnay before finally collapsing in A&E en masse. However, their attempts to match men pint for pint are not all bad news apparently, as recent research suggests that beer can benefit bones and keep osteoporosis at bay.

Women are particularly susceptible to osteoporosis as a result of the oestrogen depletion that occurs after the menopause. Around three million women are affected by the condition, and this results in more than 200,000 fractures annually, costing the NHS more than 1 billion a year. But now a study of 100 commercial beers shows that the hoppy beverage is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for good bone health, and that moderate consumption can prevent bones from becoming brittle.

Silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA), up to half of which can be absorbed by the body, making beer a major contributor to silicon intake in the Western diet. Scientists at the University of California's department of food science and technology explained their findings in last month's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. "Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon," says Dr Charles Bamforth, lead author at the University of California.

"It is the husk of the barley that is rich in this element. While most of the silicon remains in the husk during brewing, significant quantities of silicon nonetheless are extracted into wort and much of this survives into beer," he says.

Another study last year, published in the journal Nutrition and involving nearly 1,700 women, showed that beer drinkers with light to moderate consumption had much better bone density than those who didn't drink beer.

However, it's actually the plant hormones in the beer, rather than the alcohol, that are responsible for building up the bones. Pale ale, in particular, contains high levels of silicon that is known to boost the formation of new bone and slow the thinning that leads to fractures. Lighter beers use more hops and therefore have more silicon, which is destroyed by the extra heat used in malting dark beers, and this means pale ale is a good choice for anyone suffering from osteoporosis.

But before you rush off to the pub, the Dr Claire Bowring, of the National Osteoporosis Society, sounds a note of caution. "These findings mirror results from previous studies, which concluded that moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial to bones," she says. "However, while the National Osteoporosis Society welcomes measures to improve bone health, we do not recommend anyone increases their alcohol consumption on the basis of these studies.

"While low quantities of alcohol may appear to have bone-density benefits, higher intakes have been shown to decrease bone strength," she warns, "with an alcohol intake of more than two units per day actually increasing the risk of breaking a bone. There are also many other health concerns linked with alcohol."

So, taken in moderation, our bones will benefit from a beer or two, and according to the wine lobby, our hearts will be healthier with a daily glass of a cheeky little red. Or will it? The battle still rages over whether red wine is good for you. Professor Valerie Beral, of the University of Oxford and lead author of the Million Women study, says, "It's an absolute myth that red wine is good for you."

Professor Roger Corder, author of The Red Wine Diet, disagrees. "Our research identified a group of chemicals called procyanadins, which are polyphenols and the key component in terms of protecting us from heart disease."

Polyphenols are found in the skins of red wine grapes and were found to enhance the lifespan of mice. The problem is that the amounts that benefited the rodents would equate to 2,000 litres in humans. According to Corder, two small glasses of a very tannic, procyanadin-rich wine would be beneficial, but most supermarket wines are low in procyanadin and high in alcohol.

Dr Ailsa Gebbie, a consultant gynaecologist with NHS Lothian who also runs the Menopause Clinic at Edinburgh's Dean Terrace well-woman clinic, also warns of the dangers of drinking. "The main thing is that alcohol is really bad for breast cancer, and the Million Women Study said even drinking more than seven units a week is enough to increase your risk. So drinking more beer is not something we would recommend. It's important for your general health to have a good balanced diet, so would consuming a lot of silicon help? I think it's unlikely," she says.

So while the debate rages, we'll look after our bones by gently raising a glass of beer and drinking, in moderation, to further research.

Samuel Smith's India Ale, 5 per cent, 550ml, 2.50

Heavily hopped but smooth, this beer places a strong emphasis on aroma and flavour, with a coppery colour and orange and biscuit notes.

Caledonian Brewery Deuchars IPA, 3.8 per cent, 500ml, 1.89

Hoppy and bitter, with a relatively low alcohol content, this has a long, dry and delicate finish with just a hint of peatiness.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, 5.6 per cent, 350ml, 1.66

With a deep amber colour and a full-bodied, complex character, this ale opens with bright notes of maltiness and orange blossom and finishes with delicious hoppiness.

Stockists Asda (www.asda.co.uk); Hi-Spirits (www.hi-spirits.co.uk); Tesco (www.tesco.com)

• This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday, March 14, 2010