Popular holiday drink could raise dementia risk – even modest amounts

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Research suggests that even modest amounts could be accelerating brain deterioration, raising serious concerns

A popular drink, often consumed around this time of year, could be linked to an increased dementia risk, studies suggest

• Academics are warning people to think twice before reaching for alcohol, as new research reveals a troubling link between regular drinking and increased dementia risk. And with the sunny weather here and people heading on holiday, some will want a cold pint or fun cocktail
• Dementia remains the UK’s biggest killer, with more than 76,000 deaths recorded in 2024 according to Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis.
• Among the research examining the link between the illness and drinking is a 2023 peer-reviewed journal article from Atrium Health. Scientists used a ‘chronic drinking approach’, allowing mice to choose between water and alcohol for 10 weeks.
• “These findings suggest alcohol might accelerate the pathological cascade of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages,” said Associate Professor Shannon Macauley of Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
• Experts at Oxford University rated alcohol among the worst offenders for weakening cognitive health and potentially worsening the risk of Alzheimer’s,
• The NHS recommends limiting alcohol intake to 14 units per week – equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.
• READ THE FULL STORY: Common drink could raise dementia risk – even ‘modest amounts’ – Daily Record

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