A new study has found that drinking any amount of alcohol may increase the risk of dementia. The research shows that even light drinking is linked to harm, and experts now say there is no safe level of alcohol when it comes to brain health.
The study was published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine and used health records from more than half a million people in the United Kingdom and the United States. Researchers also looked at genetic information to understand how alcohol affects the brain over a lifetime.
They discovered that the risk of dementia increased as alcohol use went up. For example, drinking three units of alcohol per week instead of one unit raised dementia risk by about 15 percent. People who had genes that made them more likely to drink heavily also showed about a 16 percent higher risk of dementia.
The researchers said this shows a clear connection between alcohol and brain problems. Anya Topiwala, the lead author from Oxford University, explained that the findings challenge earlier views that light drinking might protect the brain. She said earlier studies often mixed up lifelong non-drinkers with people who had quit drinking because of health problems, which made the results unclear.
Although the study cannot fully prove that alcohol directly causes dementia, experts say the evidence is strong. Neurologist Richard Isaacson, who was not part of the research, noted that for people with Alzheimer’s risk genes, avoiding alcohol completely may be the safest choice.
The results support growing advice from health experts that cutting down on alcohol is good for long-term health. With dementia cases expected to rise worldwide, the study adds pressure on governments and health organizations to update public health guidelines.
