This study was part of the Women's Alcohol Study which involved 51 postmenopausal women who did not smoke or use hormone replacement therapy. The research team measured the effects of controlled alcohol consumption during three periods of time. In one of these experimental periods, subjects consumed an alcohol-free beverage once each day. During the other two, they consumed either 15 or 30 g of nearly pure alcohol (Everclear) served up in orange juice. These amounts of alcohol are equivalent to 1 or 2 glasses, respectively, of wine or a bottle of beer. Each study period lasted for 8 weeks, during which time all meals were also provided to the women- either in the USDA's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center or provided as "take-out" for the weekends.

The good news for those of us who enjoy a glass or two of wine or beer with dinner or at the football game, is that the scientists did not find any negative effects of either dose of alcohol on circulating levels of vitamin D. Low to moderate intake also did not affect a variety of markers (single-nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) which influence alcohol metabolism. These results suggest that the relationship previously documented between alcohol consumption and bone disease in alcoholics may only be seen in very heavy drinkers, or may be due to something other than the alcohol itself.

Dr. Mahabir concluded that "It looks like low to moderate alcohol consumption, at least over the short term, does not harm bone health. Collectively, when all the available published epidemiologic data are considered, it looks like low to moderate alcohol may actually have a beneficial effect." In the end, nutritional scientists once again remind us that all foods and beverages can be part of a healthful diet and urge us to carefully balance the risks against the benefits of our daily dietary choices.

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology