A study found that the bones of women who drink beer regularly are stronger, making them less likely to suffer from osteoporosis.

    It is thought that the high level of silicon in beer slows down the thinning that leads to fractures and boosts the formation of new bone, the journal Nutrition reports.

    Beer is also rich in phytoestrogens, plant versions of oestrogen, which keep bones healthy.

    Bones are made up of a mesh of fibres, minerals, blood vessels and marrow, and healthy ones are denser with smaller spaces between the different parts.

    The researchers asked almost 1,700 healthy women with an average age of 48 about their drinking habits. They then underwent ultrasound scans of their hands, which showed the bones belonging to beer drinkers to be denser.

    The women's hands were chosen because the bones in the fingers are among the first to show signs of osteoporosis, a disease of bone that leads to an increased risk of fracture.

    Those who had less than a pint a day, whom scientists classed as light beer drinkers, fared just as well as those in the moderate bracket, suggesting that even small amounts can boost bone health.

    The Spanish researchers said: "Silicon plays a major role in bone formation. Beer has been claimed to be one of the most important sources of silicon in the Western diet."

    Three million Britons are affected by osteoporosis. It is most common in women after menopause.

    研究發現定期飲用啤酒的女性，其骨骼更健壯，出現骨質疏松癥的可能性較低。

    據《營養期刊》報道，人們認為是啤酒里高強度的硅減緩了可致骨折的疏松并加速形成新骨骼。

    啤酒中還富含植物性雌激素，這類植物型的雌激素有助于保持骨骼健康。

    人類的骨骼是由纖維網、礦物質、血管和骨髓組成的。健康骨骼的不同組織部位彼此之間間隙較小以致密度更高。

    研究人員先對平均年齡為48歲的大約1700名女性的飲食習慣進行了詢問，隨后對這些人員的手進行了超聲波掃描，結果顯示啤酒飲食人員的骨骼密度更大。

    選擇手進行研究是因為手指的骨骼最能反映出骨質疏松癥的特征，這種骨病增加了骨折的可能性。

    那些一天飲酒不超過一品脫的女性，科學人員將其歸為輕度飲者，和那些中度飲酒人員的效果一樣，表明即便是少量的啤酒也能有助于骨骼的健康。

    西班牙的研究人員說，"硅對骨骼的形成發揮了重大作用。而啤酒是西方飲食中硅攝取的最重要來源之一。"

    目前有300萬的英國人患有骨質疏松癥，絕經后的女性尤為普遍。