Moderate alcohol consumption decreases risk of dementia, study

By Helen Glaberson

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Alcohol consumption Alcoholic beverage

Moderate alcohol consumption may decrease the risk of dementia or cognitive decline, according to new research.

The study, published in Age and Aging, ​investigated the relationship between alcohol intake (quantity and type) with the onset of the syndrome.

The scientists found that participants who drank moderately were 29 per cent less likely to have developed incident dementia by the end of the three-year period than those who didn’t drink alcohol.

A significant association was only found between those subjects who consumed between 20 and 29g per day.

Participants in the study were aged 75 and older, which was much higher than previous studies, said the researchers. The findings are also consistent with meta-analyses that include younger age groups, the study claims.

Positive effects of alcohol

The scientists said the positive effect of light-to moderate alcohol consumption could be due to a number of direct and indirect mechanisms such as, lowering cholesterol, beneficial effects on platelet function, clotting and fibrinolysis and improved insulin sensitivity.

The non-alcoholic properties of such drinks may also have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vaso-relaxant benefits, said the scientists.

Methodology and results

The study was comprised of individuals, aged 75 and over, who were attending general practitioners in Germany.

3,202 subjects free of dementia were studied at baseline by structured clinical interviews and were then followed up 1.5 and three years later.

The measures included a detailed assessment of current alcohol consumption and DSM-IV dementia diagnoses.

Associations between alcohol consumption (in grams of ethanol), type of alcohol and incident dementia were examined using Cox proportional hazard models.

The scientists said these findings were in line with another study also based on GP attendees aged 75 and over that found that light-to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with relatively good physical and mental health.

But despite establishing a link between consumption and dementia, it is still unclear whether different alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine and spirits have a similar effect, said the scientists.

Some studies have shown a positive effect of wine only, according to the researchers, which could be due to certain factors, such as the level of ethanol or the healthier lifestyle attributed to wine drinkers.

Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with male gender, younger age, higher level of education, not living alone and not being depressed.

Even after controlling for these factors, the risk for incident dementia was still significantly lower among light-to-moderate alcohol consumers, said the researchers.

Related topics R&D