Drinking alcohol most days a week can significantly protect against developing diabetes, research has shown.

A study of more than 70,000 men and women found consuming alcohol three or four days a week was associated with a reduced risk of 27% in men and 32% in women, compared with abstaining.

Wine was found to have a bigger effect than beer, probably because it contains chemical compounds that improve blood sugar balance, scientists said.

But there was a warning to women to stay clear of the gin bottle. A daily tipple of "mothers' ruin" or other spirits increased the diabetes risk to women by 83%.

Previous studies had already suggested that light to moderate alcohol consumption can cut the risk of diabetes, but the new research is the first to focus on drinking frequency.

The study and its findings

The investigation did not distinguish between the two forms of diabetes, Type 1 and the much more common Type 2

The authors, led by Professor Janne Tolstrup from the University of Southern Denmark, wrote in the journal Diabetologia: "Our findings suggest that alcohol drinking frequency is associated with the risk of diabetes and that consumption of alcohol over 3 to 4 weekdays is associated with the lowest risks of diabetes, even after taking average weekly alcohol consumption into account."