Scientists analyzed previous research on drinking alcohol and risk of dementia. To do this, they conducted a review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Those are studies that look at the same people over time.

Alcohol and Dementia Risk

Dementia has various causes. Thus, their analysis involved data from 20 different studies There were 175,580 people and 6,395 cases of dementia. And the dementia was from various causes.

The researchers included 11 studies with 73,330 people and 4,586 cases for all-cause dementia. They had five studies with 52,715 people and 1,267 cases of Alzheimer’s dementia. And there were four studies with 49,535 people and 542 cases of vascular dementia.

Alcohol and Risk of Dementia

They found that light and moderate alcohol drinkers had a lower risk of all types of dementia. Yet heavy drinkers did not have a higher risk.

Earlier researchers also made a meta-analysis of research on the same subject. That combines data from many studies. They found that moderate drinkers of alcohol had a 23% lower risk of developing any form of dementia. That’s compared to non-drinkers.¹

Reduce Your Risk of Dementia

We can reduce our risk of dementia.

• • Don’t smoke.
  • Drink alcohol often and in moderation.
  • Maintain a safe blood pressure level.
  • Maintain proper cholesterol levels.
  • Treat diabetes.
  • Maintain proper weight.

Moderate drinking improves heart and vascular health and circulation. A major cause of dementia is poor blood circulation in the brain. Therefore, things that are good for the heart and vascular systems are generally good for the brain. In turn, that’s good for cognition.

Resources

Web Pages

• • Alcohol Lowers Dementia Risk nearly 40%.
  • Drinking and Dementia, Alzheimer’s, & Memory Loss.
  • Alcohol and Risk of Dementia. Is There a Link?
  • Moderate Drinking Reduces Dementia Risk.
  • Alcohol and Dementia Risk among Older People.
  • Drinking Alcohol is Good for the Brain.

Popular Books

• • Barak, Y. Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease.
  • Gray-Davidson, F. When Your Parent has Alzheimer’s.
  • McNamara, P. Dementia.
  • Nat Inst on Aging. Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease.
  • Quinn, J. Dementia.

Source

• • Xu, W., et al. Alcohol consumption and dementia risk. A dose-response meta- analysis of prospective studies. Eur J Epide, 32, 31- 42.

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