Alcohol ‘reduces risk of arthritis’
A SMALL tipple can halve the risk of women developing rheumatoid arthritis, new research shows.
Teetotallers are twice as likely to suffer the joint condition as those enjoying three alcoholic drinks a week, says a study on the British Medical Journal’s website BMJ.com.
Professor Alan Silman, of Arthritis Research UK, said the results were “very interesting”.
He said: “It shows that, compared with people who drink no alcohol, those who drink modest amounts have a degree of protection against developing rheumatoid arthritis.”
It shows that, compared with people who drink no alcohol, those who drink modest amounts have a degree of protection against developing rheumatoid arthritis
But he warned: “Alcohol in excess can be dangerous in rheumatoid arthritis patients taking drugs.”
The 10-year study of 35,000 women aged from 59 to 84 by Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute found those who regularly drank two to four glasses of alcohol a week were 52 per cent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as non-drinkers.