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.

研究发现定期饮用啤酒的女性，其骨骼更健壮，出现骨质疏松症的可能性较低。

据《营养期刊》报道，人们认为是啤酒里高强度的硅减缓了可致骨折的疏松并加速形成新骨骼。

啤酒中还富含植物性雌激素，这类植物型的雌激素有助于保持骨骼健康。

人类的骨骼是由纤维网、矿物质、血管和骨髓组成的。健康骨骼的不同组织部位彼此之间间隙较小以致密度更高。

研究人员先对平均年龄为48岁的大约1700名女性的饮食习惯进行了询问，随后对这些人员的手进行了超声波扫描，结果显示啤酒饮食人员的骨骼密度更大。

选择手进行研究是因为手指的骨骼最能反映出骨质疏松症的特征，这种骨病增加了骨折的可能性。

那些一天饮酒不超过一品脱的女性，科学人员将其归为轻度饮者，和那些中度饮酒人员的效果一样，表明即便是少量的啤酒也能有助于骨骼的健康。

西班牙的研究人员说，"硅对骨骼的形成发挥了重大作用。而啤酒是西方饮食中硅摄取的最重要来源之一。"

目前有300万的英国人患有骨质疏松症，绝经后的女性尤为普遍。