Beers offers a surprising perk for arthritis sufferers
By Laura Owens
Women who tip back a few beers each week are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA), suggests a large study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism. RA is a chronic painful autoimmune disease that more often strikes women. While RA sometimes affects multiple tissues and organs, it primarily attacks the flexible joints and can be severely disabling. Researchers in the study found that long-term moderate beer consumption (two to four beers per week, not a keg fest) cut their RA risk by 31 percent. While research indicates alcohol cuts RA risk in women, for reasons not entirely understood, beer in particular boosts the protective benefits even more. “The mechanism of action is very complex,” said Dr. Len Horovitz, an internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. Alcohol may increase estrogen which is shown to be protective against RA, explains Dr. Daniel Arkfeld, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Arkfeld doesn’t suggest however, non-beer drinkers start cracking a six-pack, and he cautions RA medication users to avoid mixing their meds with alcohol due to possible liver complications.
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