Moderate Alcohol Consumption Linked To Reduced Risk Of Alzheimer's

Moderate alcohol consumption linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's

Scientists have found a link between moderate alcohol consumption and a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. Those who drank a little on a regular basis had lower levels of beta-amyloid, a protein that causes this disease, in their brains.

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Drinking alcohol in moderation is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. Those who drank a little on a regular basis had lower levels of beta-amyloid, a protein that causes this disease, in their brains. The new study is published in PLoS Medicine.

Korean scientists examined 414 people. The average age of the participants was 71 and none of them had dementia or alcoholism. All of them underwent magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography of the head to assess the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain.

Study participants were carefully asked how often and how much alcohol they consumed during their life.

People who drank moderately had 66% less beta-amyloid deposits than those who did not drink at all. Such results have only been found in those who have been drinking moderately for decades, but not in those who have recently started doing so. Above moderate alcohol consumption did not show a protective effect.

By moderate alcohol consumption, scientists meant 1-13 standard drinks per week. One standard serving is equivalent to 10 milliliters of pure alcohol. In terms of other drinks, this is 360 milliliters of beer or 150 milliliters of wine or 15 milliliters of strong alcohol.

The study authors caution that this is an observational study that only looked at the condition of people at one point. Such a study cannot indicate a causal relationship, that is, its results do not indicate that alcohol consumption reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

But study co-author Dr. Dong Young Lee of Seoul National University noted that "in people without dementia who do not have alcohol dependence, moderate alcohol consumption appears to be beneficial when considered separately the effects on the brain."