Dementia expert reveals the exact age you should quit beer to ward off Alzheimer’s

A dementia expert has revealed exactly what age you should put beer, wine and spirits aside to prevent Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

American neurologist Dr. Richard Restak has advised individuals to become completely teetotal from the age of 65.

It is said that even just one or two alcoholic drinks every few weeks accelerates age-related damage to the nerve cells in our brains.

“Alcohol is a very, very weak neurotoxin – it is not good for nerve cells,” writes Dr. Restak in his book, The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind.

‘It is essential to abstain from alcohol at a stage of life when the preservation of neurons is crucial.

“I strongly recommend that if you are 65 or older, you completely and permanently eliminate alcohol from your diet.”

Dr. Restak, former president of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, set 65 because the risk of dementia increases fivefold – and continues to rise every five years.

Not being able to learn new tasks and struggling to stay focused on a single task could be a sign of dementia – the memory-robbing disorder that affects almost 1 million Britons and seven million Americans

Dementia is a continuous decline in brain functioning that robs patients of their memory, abilities and independence.

Nearly one million Britons are believed to suffer from dementia, with around one in fourteen people over the age of 65.

However, this figure is predicted to rise to almost 1.5 million in the coming decades as the population continues to age.

Several studies have linked high alcohol consumption to an increased risk of the disease, as long-term excessive drinking is known to shrink parts of the brain.

This shrinkage can worsen the progression of dementia and sometimes even cause the condition.

A lifetime of heavy drinking is listed as one of fourteen lifestyle factors that can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia during their lifetime.

In addition to more common forms of the disease, excessive drinking can also cause a form of dementia called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

This happens when alcohol disrupts the body’s ability to absorb a nutrient called vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, which is vital for keeping brain cells healthy.

Charities such as Alzheimer’s Research UK estimate that half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or significantly delayed if people cut back on drinking.

The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units per week – that’s 14 individual shots of spirits or six pints of beer or one and a half bottles of wine.

Research published in the Lancet found that 50 percent of French adults with early-onset dementia also had a history of alcohol use disorder

Research has also suggested that the dangers that alcohol poses to dementia risk may be present well before the age of 65.

A large-scale survey of French people diagnosed with early-onset dementia, medically defined as before the age of 65, found that half of French people had an alcohol use disorder in their medical records.

Britons are advised to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, the equivalent of about six pints of medium strength beer or one and a half bottles of wine.

Some small studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent dementia, but experts and charities insist this link has not been substantially proven.

Dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is a form, is estimated to cost the country £43 billion a year, a bill expected to double by 2040.