Moderate drinking may reduce arthritis risk

A prescription to buy Celebrex is one of the most effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, but a glass of wine might not hurt either. New research indicates that moderate alcohol consumption may be linked to lower rates of the joint condition.

The new study published in the British Medical Journal is not the first to uncover a link between alcohol consumption and reduced arthritis risk. However, it did show a much stronger association between drinking and joint health than was previously known.

In the study, researchers asked a group of women on two separate occasions 10 years apart how often they consumed alcohol. The results showed that moderate drinkers were 52 percent less likely to report having rheumatoid arthritis at either point, compared to those who never drank.

Furthermore, it didn't matter whether the participants most frequently drank beer, wine or liquor. The results showed that any type of moderate consumption was linked with lower arthritis rates.

The findings suggest that in addition to a prescription to buy Celebrex, individuals may want to talk to their doctors about how often they should consume alcohol.