What’s the link between alcohol and dementia? New study sheds light

The report notes that it is in contrast to previous research, which has suggested that moderate and light drinking might even have a protective effect on dementia.

A new study exploring the relationship between alcohol consumption and dementia risk is warning that there is no safe limit of drinks when it comes to potential risks.

A study published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine on Tuesday found that any amount of alcohol consumption can lead to an increased risk of dementia.

The report notes that it is in contrast to previous research, which has suggested that moderate and light drinking might have a protective effect on dementia as opposed to no consumption.

“Our findings challenge the common belief that low levels of alcohol are beneficial for brain health. Genetic evidence offers no support for a protective effect – in fact, it suggests the opposite,” said Anya Topiwala, senior clinical researcher at the University of Oxford, who led the study.

“Even light or moderate drinking may increase the risk of dementia, indicating that reducing alcohol consumption across the population could play a significant role in dementia prevention.”

Increasing the amount of alcohol consumption by three times can lead to a 15 per cent higher risk of developing dementia. For example, if a person increases their weekly drinks from one to three, that increases their dementia risk by 15 per cent, the study said.

For anyone predisposed to developing an alcohol dependency, even a twofold increase in alcohol consumption would lead to a 16 per cent increase in dementia risk.

Daniel Levey, research health scientist at Yale University and one of the co-authors of the study, said previous research may be skewed by changing drinking habits.