Recent research has revealed that consuming eight or more alcoholic beverages weekly can significantly affect brain health over time.
With summer in full swing and sunny days inviting social gatherings, it might seem harmless to enjoy a beer or two with friends and family in the backyard.
However, health professionals advise moderation, as it may be wise to reconsider before opening another drink.
This caution stems from a new study published in Neurology, which presents alarming findings regarding heavy alcohol consumption and its impact on brain function.
Researchers, publishing their study in the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) journal, discovered that individuals consuming eight or more drinks weekly are at a higher risk of developing brain lesions known as hyaline arteriolosclerosis.
This condition involves the thickening of small artery walls (arterioles) due to the accumulation of a pink-staining substance called hyaline.
As a result, the small blood vessels narrow and stiffen, making blood flow more difficult, as explained by the AAN in a press release.
These lesions, represented by areas of damaged brain tissue, can progressively harm the brain, leading to memory issues and difficulties with problem-solving.
The study examined 1,878 deceased individuals with an average age of 75 at death, all of whom had undergone brain autopsies.
The participants were categorized into groups: 965 non-drinkers, 319 moderate drinkers consuming up to seven drinks weekly, 129 heavy drinkers having eight or more drinks per week, and 368 former heavy drinkers.
In defining a single drink, the press release noted: “Researchers defined one drink as having 14 grams of alcohol, which is about 350 milliliters (ml) of beer, 150 ml of wine or 45 ml of distilled spirits.”
After considering various factors affecting brain health, such as age at death and smoking habits, researchers found that heavy drinkers had a 133 percent increased likelihood of having vascular brain lesions compared to those who abstained from alcohol.
Alarmingly, it was also discovered that heavy drinkers lived, on average, 13 years less than individuals who never consumed alcohol.
Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo, PhD, from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School in Brazil and the study’s lead author, stated: “Heavy alcohol consumption is a major global health concern linked to increased health problems and death.
“We found heavy drinking is directly linked to signs of injury in the brain, and this can cause long-term effects on brain health, which may impact memory and thinking abilities.
“Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness and continuing to implement preventive measures to reduce heavy drinking.”