Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
The person most likely to suffer from osteoporosis
has pale skin, is very thin and drinks a lot of alcohol. Pale people
often do not get enough sunlight to meet their needs for the
bone-strengthening vitamin D; skinny people often miss essential
nutrients necessary for bone health; and heavy drinking inhibits
new bone from forming (Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental
Research, December, 2005).
Bones are always remodeling. Certain cells called
osteoblasts continuously bring calcium into bones, while
osteoclasts continuously take calcium out of bones. However,
heavy drinking inhibits osteoblasts from forming new bone. So
far, most studies show that people can take up to two drinks a
day without harming their health. A drink is five ounces of wine,
12 ounces of beer, or two thirds of a shot glass of hard alcohol.
However, exceeding that amount can hasten the onset of
osteoporosis, in which the slightest trauma can break bones and
they will heal much more slowly than normal.
February 1, 2006