Beer good for you?

Scottsdale – A new scientific study suggests that silicon found in beer, may be good for your bones.  According to this new information, beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. It is proposed that moderate consumption may help fight osteoporosis.

The research was performed at the University of California-Davis and sought to determine the link between beer production techniques and the resulting silicon content.  The study tested 100 commercial beers for silicon content and categorized the data according to beer style and source. The researchers concluded that beer is a rich source of dietary silicon.

Based on these findings, some studies suggest moderate beer consumption may help fight osteoporosis, a disease of the skeletal system characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue. “The factors in brewing that influence silicon levels in beer have not been extensively studied,” said Charles Bamforth, who led the study.

“We have examined a wide range of beer styles for their silicon content and have also studied the impact of raw materials and the brewing process on the quantities of silicon that enter wort and beer.”  Silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA), which yields 50 percent bio-availability, making beer a major contributor to silicon intake in the diet.

According to the National Institute of Health, dietary silicon, may be important for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue. The original article appears in the February issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

I am happy to see this article, which places positive light on dietary silicon. Silicon is also used, as a basic building block, in the construction of many biologic implants, including silicone breast implants. The shell on the outside of saline breast implants is also derived from silicon. Dietary silicon is reportedly important in preventing osteoporosis.