Just yesterday I wrote about beer and bone density and a recent study confirming the positive benefits in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Today yet another unrelated study appears to confirm the findings of the first, as reported in today’s Burton Mail. In the article, Dr. Jonathan Powell, head of a bio-mineral research department in Cambridge, said the “key to beer’s benefits is silicon — a chemical more commonly associated which enhancing chests than fattening stomachs. Historically, silicon has not been seen as an essential nutrient, but our research suggests that it could play an important role in bone health. We have shown that silicon appears to have a beneficial effect in increasing bone mineral density.” Beer of course, is rich in silicon. “The combination of the silicon and alcohol intake from moderate beer consumption appears to promote both bone and connective tissue health.” This study’s results will be presented at a conference here in California. The article goes on to mention a third study, “published earlier this year which showed that moderate ethanol consumption has an acute, specific effect in reducing bone loss.” It seems pretty clear at this point that all the science is indeed finding a positive correlataion between moderate beer drinking and increased bone density. I’ll drink to that.