A glass of white wine a day could delay the menopause, a study shows.
Women drinking the daily tipple were almost 20 per cent less likely than teetotallers to experience early menopause, researchers found.
Red wine was not shown to be as effective as white, while beer and spirits were of no benefit at all. Bingeing on white wine did not help, the scientists said.
Previous studies have hinted that moderate alcohol intake might delay the onset of the menopause but until now it was not clear which drinks were beneficial.
Women drinking the daily tipple were almost 20 per cent less likely than teetotallers to experience early menopause, researchers found (file photo)
The menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing oestrogen and progesterone hormones, due to ageing.
Hot flushes and bouts of the sweats are the most common symptoms, affecting three in four women.
Depression, mood swings, tiredness and headaches are also common. The average age for the menopause is 51 but some women start to suffer symptoms from 45 and one in 100 under-40s are affected.
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Early menopause can have major implications for long-term health, raising the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and mental health problems.
Red wine was not shown to be as effective as white, while beer and spirits were of no benefit at all. Bingeing on white wine did not help, the scientists said (file photo)
In the latest study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US tracked nearly 108,000 women for more than 20 years.
The results showed that roughly one to 1.5 glasses of white wine a day reduced the chances of an early menopause by 19 per cent. Red wine lowered the risk by about 10 per cent.
Researchers said alcohol may postpone the menopause by increasing levels of oestrogen in the blood.
It also prevents a harmful process called oxidative stress, where healthy cells decay.
Wine may offer the best protection because it has high levels of resveratrol, a potent antioxidant thought to prevent several age-related conditions.
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