19-05-2025
Popular type of drink to cut back on now to reduce risk of developing dementia
Dementia is a broad term for a range of conditions that cause memory loss and other symptoms. But there is one drink that you should cut back on to reduce your risk of developing the condition
Dementia is marked by abnormal changes in the brain and has the potential to significantly disrupt a person's ability to manage daily activities. The condition precipitates cognitive deterioration, which manifests as mood swings and memory loss and may eventually gravely impair someone's ability to think clearly.
While dementia serves as an umbrella term within the medical community, it often results from other conditions like vascular dementia (linked to bleeding and blood vessel damage in the brain) or Alzheimer's disease (associated with protein deposits disrupting nerve cells in the brain).
Current research suggests that individuals consuming over 14 alcoholic beverages weekly are at a heightened risk for dementia. The findings also indicate that one's lifestyle in their middle years might have the most substantial effect on the future likelihood of developing dementia.
Yet, it was also discovered that alcohol abstainers faced an increased risk of dementia, reports Surrey Live. Dr Sara Imarisio, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, commented in the study: "There's a well-established link between heavy drinking and the risk of dementia, but it is difficult to say whether moderate alcohol intake has any impact on brain health when compared to not drinking at all."
She further said in the report: 'Some non-drinkers may have a history of heavy alcohol use, and this makes it difficult to untangle links between drinking habits and health. This study only looked at people's drinking in later life, and we don't know about their drinking habits in their earlier years.
"Research suggests that our lifestyle in middle age may have the greatest impact on our future risk of dementia.'
Newly emphasised data underscores the necessity of adhering to "safe amounts" of booze, as proposed by chief medical leaders in Britain. Health experts urge that "you should drink no more than 14 units a week, make sure you have several drink-free days, and never binge drink".
Dr Imarisio noted that "there are many good health reasons to keep an eye on how much alcohol you're drinking". In her statement within the report titled 'Alcohol Intake Linked to Dementia Risk', featured on Alzheimer's Research UK's site, she underscored the significance for both genders to "not drink more than 14 units a week".
She further said: 'Dementia is caused by physical diseases of the brain, but there are things we can do to reduce the risk of developing dementia.
"The best current evidence indicates that as well as only drinking within the recommended guidelines, staying physically and mentally active, eating a healthy balanced diet, not smoking, and keeping weight, cholesterol and blood pressure in check are all good ways to keep the brain healthy as we age.'
The original research team studied over 3000 US residents. Subjects were beyond the age of 72 and dementia-free at the study's onset. These participants kept a log of their alcohol consumption before proceeding with cognitive assessments.
The researchers monitored volunteers over an extended period to determine if they would develop dementia. They discovered that "people who abstained from drinking were at increased risk of dementia".
Individuals consuming "more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week also increased their dementia risk", according to the study. Dementia UK has shed light on "what causes alcohol related brain damage" via their website.
The organisation elaborated that alcohol related brain damage (also known as alcohol related brain impairment) is "caused by drinking alcohol excessively over a prolonged period of time". Dementia UK said: 'It (alcohol related brain damage) can be caused by a combination of reasons including vitamin B1 deficiency (thiamine), the toxic effects of alcohol on nerve cells, head injury and blood vessel damage.
'There are three main types of alcohol related brain damage; Wernicke's encephalopathy, Korsakoff's syndrome and alcoholic dementia. Both Wernicke's and Korsakoff's can occur singularly or in combination when it is called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.'
