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If you are women, a glass of wine a day could do wonders, claims a latest research. One or two glasses of wine a day protects women's bones from thinning, and apparently wine drinking is as effective as drugs in maintaining bone health.

According to the team which from the International Scientific Forum, moderate intake of alcohol after menopause helped maintain bone strength. The experts of the University of Oregon concluded that abstaining from drinking led to a higher risk of developing osteoporosis, the Telegraph reported.

For the latest study, the team of experts studied 40 healthy postmenopausal women aged around 56.

They found that two small glasses of wine everyday (equivalent of 19ml) prevented the loss of old bone in women. The loss of old bone meant improvement in the balance between old and new bone and thus, maintenance of strength.

Thousands of postmenopausal women are currently dependent on drugs called bisphosphonates every day to help combat thinning of bones.

When the women were asked to stop drinking later, apparently their 'bone turnover' improved. However, their bone turnover reduced once again a day later as they began drinking again.

"The results suggest an effect of moderate alcohol consumption similar to the effects of bisphosphonates," one reviewer was quoted as saying by Telegraph.

Osteoporosis is a dangerous disease in women which medical experts have named the 'silent disease,' because there is no known symptom before a bone fracture caused by the disease.

"Methods appear robust. The authors seem to know what they are doing. The moderate alcohol effect on bone is really quite potent. This is the 'big issue' in determining the relation of moderate alcohol intake and bone that needs resolving," Jonathan Powell and Dr Ravin Jugdaoh Singh of the Medical Research Council Nutrition Research Group at Cambridge University said according to the report.

The study was originally published in the Menopause journal.