Moderate alcohol consumption cuts the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by 50%.

Today BBC News reports on 2 studies (of the Swedish Karolinska Institutet) published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, showing that moderate alcohol drinkers have a 50 % lower risk of developing RA than non-drinkers. Smoking on the other hand, these studies report, is to be considered a very high risk factor, reinforcing findings from earlier studies.

Heavy drinking is of course deleterious for health, but moderate drinking may have some health benefits. There is also evidence for moderate drinkers having a reduced risk for other inflammatory processes, like cardiovascular disease.

Researcher Henrik Kallberg added

'the reason for this reduced risk is still unclear'

.....Hmm, I can immediately think of at least 2 reasons:

1. From a nutritional biochemistry viewpoint : Ethanol influences the activities of desaturase enzymes. These are key enzymes in the fatty acid metabolism. Some studies (see an example) indicate that alcohol stimulates their activity. Even through a broad range of alcohol concentrations. More specifically, well-active desaturase enzymes help in converting more substantial amounts of essential fatty acids linoleic acid (omega-6) and alphalinolenic acid (omega-3) in several steps into 'good' prostaglandins and thereby avoid excessive 'overflow' of fatty acid metabolites into the inflammatory arachidonic pathway.... However, very high alcohol intake over a longer period of time has shown to have the opposite effect.

2. From an ayurvedic viewpoint : Alcohol opens blocked srota's, the micro- and macrochannels throughout the body, resulting in better removal of all kinds of junkmaterial from the body (metabolic waste, toxins, free radicals, etc...) and more optimal metabolism, at least temporarily... Excess alcohol is considered a cellular poison.