Drinking up to two bottles of beer or small glasses of wine per day may LOWER the chance of dementia

Drinking up to two cans of beer or glasses of wine a day may reduce the risk of dementia, a major study suggests.

Researchers in South Korea analyzed health data from four million people in the country who were tracked for up to eight years.

Those who drank a can of beer or glass of wine a day had a 21 percent lower risk of dementia compared with non-drinkers, while those who drank two drinks a day had a 17 percent lower risk. But anyone who consumed alcohol in higher amounts — three or more drinks a day — had an 8 percent higher risk.

The researchers suggested that alcohol in lower amounts may protect against dementia by reducing inflammation in the brain and blood thickness, allowing blood to flow better.

But the study couldn’t conclusively prove that alcohol triggered the reduced risk of dementia, rather than another factor such as diet or genetics. It also relied on participants self-reporting how often they consumed alcohol.

The authors noted that the disadvantages of alcohol outweigh any small benefits.

Previous studies have warned that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and weaken the immune system.

It comes after Canadian authorities insisted that people should drink no more than two bottles of beer or glasses of wine a week, prompting some experts to call them “useless” and eroding trust in law enforcement officials. public health.

The CDC says that women should have no more than one drink a day and men should have less than two a day.

In the latest study, published today in JAMA Open Network — The researchers looked at the health records of healthy adults in South Korea.

The data was drawn from the database of the country’s National Health Insurance Service, which offers a free health examination to Korean policyholders over the age of 40 twice a year.

The participants were around 55 years old on average and none had dementia at the start of the study.

They each completed a health assessment between 2009 and 2011, asking them how many days a week they drank alcohol and how much.

They also returned in 2018, some seven or eight years later, and answered the same questions about alcohol use and whether they had been diagnosed with dementia.

Participants were divided into four groups: non-drinkers, light drinkers (consuming less than 15 grams (g) of alcohol per day, or about one drink), moderate drinkers (consuming 15 to 30 g of alcohol), and heavy drinkers. inveterate (those who consumed more than 30 g per day).

In the US, the CDC considers a standard drink to contain around 14 grams of alcohol.

This is equivalent to one 12-ounce can of beer, one five-ounce glass of wine, or one 1.5-ounce shot of distilled spirits.

Throughout the study, 100,000 cases of dementia from any cause were detected.

After adjusting for factors such as age, gender, smoking status and exercise levels, the researchers found that those who drank light to moderate amounts had a lower risk of developing the disease.

But reducing alcohol consumption during the study also had an effect.

Commenting on the results, Dr. Dan Malleck, a public health expert at Brock University in Canada who was not involved in the research, told DailyMail.com: “I am always looking forward to participating in any study that shows that the Alcohol has protective effects against some diseases, but I’m not going to jump in yet.

“With research like this, there’s always the question of causation versus correlation, and what I call the cart before the horse effect.”

He added: ‘The study shows an association between moderate drinking and less dementia.

“Does moderate alcohol consumption reduce the risk of dementia, or are people less likely to have dementia and more to drink in moderation?”

Dr Percy Griffin, Alzheimer’s Association director of scientific engagement, said: “While this study is interesting and this topic deserves further study, no one should drink alcohol as a method of reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia based in this studio.

“This is an association study and does not provide information on causes.”

It added: “The Alzheimer’s Association continues to monitor the ever-evolving science on dementia risk.”

Limitations of the study include that it relied on people self-reporting alcohol use, and many were notoriously poor at remembering how much they drank.

The non-drinking group also tended to be older and from a lower socioeconomic background compared to the others, which may increase their risk of dementia from other causes.

Dr. Keun Hye Jeon, an assistant professor at CHA Gumi Medical Center in Gumi, South Korea, who led the study said CNN: ‘We found that maintaining a light to moderate alcohol intake, as well as reducing alcohol intake from a heavy to moderate level, was associated with a decreased risk of dementia.’

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?

Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders.

A GLOBAL CONCERN

Dementia is a generic term used to describe a variety of progressive neurological disorders (those that affect the brain) that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.

There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.

Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.

Regardless of the type that is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in a unique way.

Dementia is a global concern, but it is seen more often in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?

The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently over 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. It is projected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.

In the US, there are an estimated 5.5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.

As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of developing dementia.

Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are thought to remain undiagnosed.

IS THERE A CURE?

There is currently no cure for dementia.

But new drugs can slow its progression and the sooner it is detected, the more effective the treatments can be.

Source: Alzheimer’s Society