Alcohol's harmful effects on bone

Long-term alcohol consumption can interfere with bone growth and replacemen t of bone tissue (i.e, remodeling), resulting in decreased bone density and increased risk of fracture. These effects may be exerted directly or indir ectly through the many cell types, hormones, and growth factors that regula te bone metabolism. Alcohol consumption during adolescence reduces peak bon e mass and can result in relatively weak adult bones that are move suscepti ble to fracture. In adults, alcohol consumption can disrupt the ongoing bal ance between the erosion and the remodeling of bone tissue, contributing to alcoholic bone disease. This imbalance results in part from alcohol-induce d inhibition of osteoblasts, specialized cells that deposit new bone. Some evidence suggests that moderate drinking may decrease the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women.