Posted on 06/05/2008 10:47:18 AM PDT by blam
Drinking Alcohol Cuts Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis In Half, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jun. 5, 2008) Alcohol cuts the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by up to 50%, reveals research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
The Scandinavian researchers base their findings on more than 2750 people taking part in two separate studies, which assessed environmental and genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis.
Over half the participants (1650) had the disease and had been matched for age, sex, and residential locality with randomly selected members of the general public.
All participants were quizzed about their lifestyle, including how much they smoked and drank. And blood samples were taken to check for genetic risk factors.
The results showed that drinking alcohol was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. And the more alcohol was consumed, the lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Among those who drank regularly, the quarter with the highest consumption were up to 50% less likely to develop the disease compared with the half who drank the least.
The effect was the same for both men and women.
Among those with antibodies to a specific group of proteins involved in the development of the disease, alcohol cut the risk most in smokers with genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis.
Smoking is known to be a major environmental risk factor for developing rheumatoid arthritis, and this risk is further increased in those who carry these genetic variants.
The authors conclude that their research reinforces the importance of lifestyle factors in the development of the disease, and that giving up smoking remains the single most important preventive measure.
They point to recent experimental research by other authors, which showed that alcohol protected against the development and severity of rheumatoid arthritis, although it is not clear exactly how it does this.
And they draw parallels with the links between moderate alcohol consumption and a reduced risk of other inflammatory processes, such as cardiovascular disease.
Adapted from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Bottoms up!
Isopropyl?
Cheers !!!!!!
Tell that to the folks with the rheumatoid disease called gout.
They’d love to have a beer but alcohol is the number one cause of gout.
I guess your night of drinking was worth something after all.
Drink up!!!
I’ll drink to that!
ping
Even if it doesn't cure your arthritis, if you follow her directions, you won't feel it anyway.
I’ll strike that off of my list of afflictions I’m worried about getting.
Well, if it’s true I figure by now my chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis must be right around my chances of being struck by lightning. At the bottom of the ocean.
what about brain tumors? http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/-/c/ted_kennedy_hooters.jpg
I also hear alcohol help with diabetes. iirc, I read it on FR, Is it wine or does it matter what kind of alcohol?
A couple of drinks sure loosen me up! =8-p
A round of drinks for everybody, bartender!
thanks, bfl
You took the words right out of my mouth. I get bouts every now and them and it’s as painfull as anything I’ve had in my life.
Cheers!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.