Should older people drink alcohol less often? Should they drink less volume?
Some writers urge that older people drink less alcohol. They think it would “protect their bodies and minds.” But Dr. Erik Skovenborg disagrees. He says people don’t develop low alcohol tolerance when they turn 65. That idea “is a myth based on plain ignorance, ageism prejudice and political correctness, mixed with a minuscule amount of fact.”
Evidence
Fat doesn’t absorb alcohol. Older bodies tend to have a lower proportion of water to fat as they age. Thus, the same amount of alcohol would lead to a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC). So some people say older people should drink less.
But from age 20-29 to 70-79, men’s total body water drops only 3.2%. The drop for women is even less. The increase in BAC would not be measurable on a breath tester.
Some say older bodies don’t break down alcohol as well as younger bodies. But medical research does not support that belief.
Health and Longevity
The health and long life benefits of moderate drinking become greater for older people. So it may be more important for older people to drink.
Dr. Skovenborg’s suggestion may actually be too conservative. The amount of alcohol most older people drink in the U.S. isn’t enough to get its health benefits. A government survey shows this.
Only 55% of people aged 50 had even a single alcoholic drink in the previous month. And the proportion declined with increasing age. It dropped to half among those age 60-64. Then to only 40% among those 65 and older.
Moderate drinking leads to better health and longer life. The high levels of alcohol abstention among older people are a health risk. It increases the risk of many health problems. These diseases are of special concern to older people.
Not drinking enough by older people might lead to unnecessary suffering for them. And to higher medical costs to society. It might be better to encourage older people to drink more. Both for their personal welfare and that of society.
Perhaps the advice should be “older people drink more alcohol.” It certainly shouldn’t be to drink less. That’s a health risk.
Older People Drink More Alcohol?
Resources
Web
- Benefits of Moderate Drinking Result from Alcohol Itself.
- Drinking and Dementia, Alzheimer’s, & Memory Loss.
- Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Disease & Mortality among Women.
- Moderate Alcohol Drinking, Senility, and Longevity..
- Moderate Drinking among Older Women: Health Effects.
- Drinking Alcohol and Risk of Frailty.
Books
- Mazzei, A. and D’Arco, A. Alcoholic Beverage Consumption and Health.
- Bamforth, C. Beer: Health and Nutrition.
- O’Byrne, P. Red Wine and Health.
- Preedy, V. Beer in Health and Disease Prevention.
Scholarly
- Byles, J., et al. A drink to healthy aging. J Am Geriat Soc., 54(9), 1341-1347.
- Thun, M.J., et al. Alcohol consumption and mortality among middle-aged and elderly US adults. New Eng J Med,, 337, 1705-1714.
Source
- Skovenborg, E. Nature’s Medicine? AIM Digest, 40(3), 3-5.