New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illness. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A new study published in the journal Neurology has found that drinking alcohol, even in relatively moderate amounts, significantly increases the risk of dementia and other serious health conditions.
The research, conducted in Brazil, analysed data from autopsies of 1781 people, shedding light on the long-term effects of alcohol on brain health.
Subjects were grouped into four categories: those who never drank, moderate drinkers (who consumed up to seven standard drinks per week), heavy drinkers (who had eight or more standard drinks per week), and former heavy drinkers who had not drunk for at least three months but had a history of heavy drinking.
In the study, a standard drink was defined as 14 grams of alcohol, roughly equivalent to a 350ml glass of beer or 147ml of wine, according to Psychology Today.
While drinking habits were reported by relatives, which may not always be entirely accurate, the overall findings still proved the link between drinking and cognitive decline.
Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of dementia. Picture: iStock
Alcohol linked to dementia
Interestingly, the amount of alcohol that can impair brain function is lower than many people might expect.
The study defines 'heavy' drinking as eight or more drinks per week, but this is a level many would consider moderate. It would be the same as having a beer or a glass of wine each week night, plus two on the weekend.
But the results showed that those who consumed up to seven or more than eight drinks per week faced a higher risk of brain injuries associated with memory loss and dementia.
Up to seven or more than eight drinks was linked to cognitive decline, memory loss and dementia. Picture: iStock
Heavy drinkers in the study had a 133 per cent higher risk of developing hyaline arteriolosclerosis, a condition involving the thickening and hardening of arteries.
This process restricts blood flow to the brain and can result in tiny, often unnoticed strokes that damage memory and increase the risk of dementia.
Former heavy drinkers, even after abstaining for three months or more, were still 89 per cent more likely to develop this condition compared to those who never drank.
Meanwhile, moderate drinkers faced a 60 per cent increased risk, proving that even lower levels of alcohol consumption were harmful.
Even former heavy drinkers were at risk of serious health issues. Picture: iStock
Other health impacts
Beyond artery damage, heavy drinkers and former heavy drinkers were also more likely to develop neurofibrillary tangles, which are protein formations in the brain strongly associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Heavy drinkers were 41 per cent more likely to have these tangles, while former heavy drinkers were 31 per cent more likely.
Even after stopping drinking, former drinkers remain at a higher risk of dementia, which is a harsh reminder that the effects of alcohol can linger long after the last drink.
In saying that, it's never too late to begin to make healthier lifestyle choices and re-evaluate your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Helplines
If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol or drug addiction:
DIRECTLINE: 1800 888 236
LIFELINE: 13 11 14
KIDS HELPLINE: 1800 55 1800
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS AUSTRALIA: 1300 652 820
SELF HELP ADDICTION RESOURCE CENTRE (SHARC): 1300 660 068
Australian implications
Interestingly, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend that adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
This is particularly worrying because this new research found increased dementia risks even at levels of drinking well below the current NHMRC guideline.
What's even more concerning is that one in four Australian adults exceed this guideline, with men more likely to do so than women.
Among young adults aged 18 to 24, more than one in three go over the recommended limit.
Originally published as New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
15 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illness. Followed categories will be added to My News. A new study published in the journal Neurology has found that drinking alcohol, even in relatively moderate amounts, significantly increases the risk of dementia and other serious health conditions. The research, conducted in Brazil, analysed data from autopsies of 1781 people, shedding light on the long-term effects of alcohol on brain health. Subjects were grouped into four categories: those who never drank, moderate drinkers (who consumed up to seven standard drinks per week), heavy drinkers (who had eight or more standard drinks per week), and former heavy drinkers who had not drunk for at least three months but had a history of heavy drinking. In the study, a standard drink was defined as 14 grams of alcohol, roughly equivalent to a 350ml glass of beer or 147ml of wine, according to Psychology Today. While drinking habits were reported by relatives, which may not always be entirely accurate, the overall findings still proved the link between drinking and cognitive decline. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of dementia. Picture: iStock Alcohol linked to dementia Interestingly, the amount of alcohol that can impair brain function is lower than many people might expect. The study defines 'heavy' drinking as eight or more drinks per week, but this is a level many would consider moderate. It would be the same as having a beer or a glass of wine each week night, plus two on the weekend. But the results showed that those who consumed up to seven or more than eight drinks per week faced a higher risk of brain injuries associated with memory loss and dementia. Up to seven or more than eight drinks was linked to cognitive decline, memory loss and dementia. Picture: iStock Heavy drinkers in the study had a 133 per cent higher risk of developing hyaline arteriolosclerosis, a condition involving the thickening and hardening of arteries. This process restricts blood flow to the brain and can result in tiny, often unnoticed strokes that damage memory and increase the risk of dementia. Former heavy drinkers, even after abstaining for three months or more, were still 89 per cent more likely to develop this condition compared to those who never drank. Meanwhile, moderate drinkers faced a 60 per cent increased risk, proving that even lower levels of alcohol consumption were harmful. Even former heavy drinkers were at risk of serious health issues. Picture: iStock Other health impacts Beyond artery damage, heavy drinkers and former heavy drinkers were also more likely to develop neurofibrillary tangles, which are protein formations in the brain strongly associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Heavy drinkers were 41 per cent more likely to have these tangles, while former heavy drinkers were 31 per cent more likely. Even after stopping drinking, former drinkers remain at a higher risk of dementia, which is a harsh reminder that the effects of alcohol can linger long after the last drink. In saying that, it's never too late to begin to make healthier lifestyle choices and re-evaluate your alcohol consumption. Alcohol and Drug Addiction Helplines If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol or drug addiction: DIRECTLINE: 1800 888 236 LIFELINE: 13 11 14 KIDS HELPLINE: 1800 55 1800 NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS AUSTRALIA: 1300 652 820 SELF HELP ADDICTION RESOURCE CENTRE (SHARC): 1300 660 068 Australian implications Interestingly, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend that adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury. This is particularly worrying because this new research found increased dementia risks even at levels of drinking well below the current NHMRC guideline. What's even more concerning is that one in four Australian adults exceed this guideline, with men more likely to do so than women. Among young adults aged 18 to 24, more than one in three go over the recommended limit. Originally published as New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
Courier-Mail
18 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Cricketer Amelia Kerr on how family saved her amid mental health battle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Health. Followed categories will be added to My News. A desire to 'protect the people I love most' initially led star WBBL cricketer Amelia Kerr to try to hide her 'unbearable sadness' from her family. But after they surprised the young all-rounder with a lifesaving intervention that made her feel as if 'she was at her own funeral', their support became crucial to her ongoing management of anxiety and depression. Kerr took her game to another level in 2024 to be crowned player of the tournament during New Zealand's maiden T20 World Cup title run, and the International Cricket Council's Women's Cricketer of the Year. She was a prized pick-up for WBBL side the Sydney Sixers last season, after stints at the Brisbane Heat, and starred for the Mumbai Indians during their 2025 WPL title-winning season earlier this year. But reaching these heights has been anything but easy for the 24-year-old, who began to bottle up her emotions in her late teens because she felt she should be grateful to be 'living out my childhood dream' playing for the White Ferns. 'I was also living with the belief that everything I did had to be perfect. I never gave myself a break,' Kerr told News Corp's Can We Talk? campaign, in partnership with Medibank. Amelia Kerr at her family's Wellington home Picture: Hagen Hopkins 'My thoughts started to consume me and my only escape, the only place where my mind was clear and I felt like I could breathe, was training. 'I would get up early, train all day, then go to the pool at night and do recovery, so all I needed to do was come home eat, shower and try to sleep. 'I tried to avoid my family because I didn't want them to see the pain I was in.' Kerr said she believed that her loved ones couldn't fix her anguish, and therefore didn't want to burden them. But in 2021, the floodgates opened after she was sent home from a White Ferns training camp. Kerr said the decision angered her at the time, but she had since realised she 'had reached a crisis point' and needed 'serious help'. Teammate and close friend Maddy Green flew back with Kerr to her hometown of Wellington, where her parents, sister (fellow White Ferns cricketer Jess), grandparents, aunties and uncles staged a second intervention. A 10-minute, tear-filled speech by her dad, former Wellington player Robbie Kerr, was one of 'many powerful messages that night' that Kerr said gave her hope. 'I thought, 'My family need me here and I need to try get better for them',' she said. 'My family saved my life. 'They knew I was struggling, but they didn't quite know the degree. 'I was then taken to the crisis team at hospital (where) I spoke about how I was feeling. 'Everyone in that room was in tears.' Amelia Kerr at her family's Wellington home, with father Robbie Kerr and mother Jo Murray. Picture: Hagen Hopkins Amelia Kerr bowls for the Sixers. (Photo by) Weekly sessions with a psychiatrist, medication and close monitoring followed, allowing Kerr to 'feel safe for once'. The talented bowler and batter also went public with her mental health battles when she pulled out of the White Ferns' 2021 tour of England. While she was 'scared' to be so open, doing so 'was me standing up for something I am passionate about, so it can provide others with hope that things can get better'. Kerr continues to manage her mental health through regular psychologist sessions, learning her 'warning signs' so she can ask for help before getting to a bad place, having a routine, practising gratitude and putting time towards activities that 'fill my cup' like exercise, being in nature, reading, playing guitar and being with loved ones. She also created Treading Water – a series on her website, in which 14 people share their stories of mental illness and recovery to 'help normalise those conversations'. Importantly, Kerr and her family have built 'a relationship of trust' in which she feels comfortable to 'tell them how I feel, and for them to do the same'. 'The experiences we have shared have made us even closer and more grateful for life,' she said. Can We Talk? is a News Corp awareness campaign, in partnership with Medibank, helping Australian families better tackle mental wellbeing. To follow the series and access all stories, tips and advice, visit our new Health section. Originally published as Cricketer Amelia Kerr on how family saved her amid mental health battle
Daily Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illness. Followed categories will be added to My News. A new study published in the journal Neurology has found that drinking alcohol, even in relatively moderate amounts, significantly increases the risk of dementia and other serious health conditions. The research, conducted in Brazil, analysed data from autopsies of 1781 people, shedding light on the long-term effects of alcohol on brain health. Subjects were grouped into four categories: those who never drank, moderate drinkers (who consumed up to seven standard drinks per week), heavy drinkers (who had eight or more standard drinks per week), and former heavy drinkers who had not drunk for at least three months but had a history of heavy drinking. In the study, a standard drink was defined as 14 grams of alcohol, roughly equivalent to a 350ml glass of beer or 147ml of wine, according to Psychology Today. While drinking habits were reported by relatives, which may not always be entirely accurate, the overall findings still proved the link between drinking and cognitive decline. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of dementia. Picture: iStock Alcohol linked to dementia Interestingly, the amount of alcohol that can impair brain function is lower than many people might expect. The study defines 'heavy' drinking as eight or more drinks per week, but this is a level many would consider moderate. It would be the same as having a beer or a glass of wine each week night, plus two on the weekend. But the results showed that those who consumed up to seven or more than eight drinks per week faced a higher risk of brain injuries associated with memory loss and dementia. Up to seven or more than eight drinks was linked to cognitive decline, memory loss and dementia. Picture: iStock Heavy drinkers in the study had a 133 per cent higher risk of developing hyaline arteriolosclerosis, a condition involving the thickening and hardening of arteries. This process restricts blood flow to the brain and can result in tiny, often unnoticed strokes that damage memory and increase the risk of dementia. Former heavy drinkers, even after abstaining for three months or more, were still 89 per cent more likely to develop this condition compared to those who never drank. Meanwhile, moderate drinkers faced a 60 per cent increased risk, proving that even lower levels of alcohol consumption were harmful. Even former heavy drinkers were at risk of serious health issues. Picture: iStock Other health impacts Beyond artery damage, heavy drinkers and former heavy drinkers were also more likely to develop neurofibrillary tangles, which are protein formations in the brain strongly associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Heavy drinkers were 41 per cent more likely to have these tangles, while former heavy drinkers were 31 per cent more likely. Even after stopping drinking, former drinkers remain at a higher risk of dementia, which is a harsh reminder that the effects of alcohol can linger long after the last drink. In saying that, it's never too late to begin to make healthier lifestyle choices and re-evaluate your alcohol consumption. Australian implications Interestingly, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend that adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury. This is particularly worrying because this new research found increased dementia risks even at levels of drinking well below the current NHMRC guideline. What's even more concerning is that one in four Australian adults exceed this guideline, with men more likely to do so than women. Among young adults aged 18 to 24, more than one in three go over the recommended limit. Originally published as New study reveals dementia risk linked to surprisingly low alcohol intake
