Researchers have suggested beer is a rich source of a nutrient that boosts bones and could mean they are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis. However they emphasized that the research stands firm for particular types.

The finding, issued in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, supports previous research which also revealed that the drink was beneficial at fending off brittle bones, especially in women.

They found that beer, especially pale ales, possess high levels of silicon known to reduce bone thinning that causes to fractures and boosting the formation of new bone.

Charles Bamforth, lead author of the study, said, "Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon”.

Silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA), roughly half of the silicon in beer can be readily absorbed by the body, rendering it as a major contributor to silicon intake in the Western diet.

Osteoporosis, a silent epidemic of the 21st century engulfs more than 200,000 fractures annually in UK alone and costs the NHS more than £1 billion a year. Three million Britons are affected by osteoporosis.

Dr Claire Bowring, National Osteoporosis Society said, “These findings mirror results from previous studies which concluded that moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial to bones".