Beer increases bone strength

Researchers at St Thomas's Hospital and King's College London have shown that silicon, found in abundance in beer, increases bone mineralisation in men and premenopausal women. Students who drink beer can continue their favourite pastime, safe in the knowledge that it could be doing them good; beer increases bone strength.

The researchers looked at dietary silicon intake and found that beer was the biggest single contributor of silicon. Dr Jonathan Powell, senior lecturer in nutrition and medicine, said, “Drinking half a pint of beer a day provides about 6 mg of silicon--that's …