Doctors know that alcoholism can cause low bone mass in older alcoholics, but they are also finding that younger men dependent on alcohol also are at a greater risk of fractures and poor healing.

"Our study indicates malnutrition, little exercise, social withdrawal or little exposure to sunlight can contribute to osteoporosis in young alcohol-dependent patients,” said Dr. Peter Malik of the Medical University at Innsbruck, Austria.

His study looked at 57 people under the age of 50 in a treatment center for alcoholism. Most of the participants smoked.

Almost one-quarter of the men had a bone mineral density that was lower than expected for age. In the women's group -- 20 of the patients -- only one had a low bone mineral density.

"It was surprising to me that although the female patients consumed high amounts of alcohol, there seems to be a protective factor present -- probably higher estrogen levels -- which cannot be fully explained at the moment," Malik said.

Most of the participants also had low vitamin D levels, likely an indication of poor nutrition and lack of exposure to sunlight.

The study also found that the men had a normal amount of a substance in the blood that indicates new bone formation, which a news release said could mean that the bone loss is reversible if young men quit drinking to excess.

The study appears online and in the February 2009 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.