Oct 21, 2025
3 min read
How is alcohol related to dementia risk?Is there a safe level of alcohol consumption?What does alcohol do to the brain?read more
- There is no safe level of alcohol consumption to maintain brain health and prevent depression.
- Moderate alcohol consumption may falsely appear protective, but is associated with an increased risk of dementia.
- Heavy alcohol consumption is more directly related to psychosis than genetic analysis frequency.
When it comes to keeping your brain healthy, there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink.That's according to a new international study that says even absorbing light increases the risk of dementia.
The research, carried out by Oxford University, Yale University and Cambridge University, debunks the idea that a drink here and there can even be healthy.The findings are published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
Alcohol consumption is widespread and associated with various health risks. In addition to the increased risk of certain cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, research has also found that sleep patterns suffer from alcohol consumption.
According to Oxford's "Heavy Prohibition" reports, "the availability of adequate drinking is over, the number of moderate drinkers is clear, and higher-level drinkers believe that the recent killing density may even increase the risk of alcoholism."
For the study, researchers analyzed observational data from more than half a million participants in the Million Veterans Program in the United States or the Biobank in the United Kingdom to see whether self-reported alcohol consumption was associated with the risk of developing a certain type of dementia.
They also looked at associations between the genetically predicted likelihood of drinking alcohol and alcohol use disorders in more than 2.4 million people who participated in 45 different studies.The role of the effort was to distinguish between correlation and causation, the researchers said.
Challenge common beliefs about drinking
The study highlights:
- The observational analysis supports the previous results, current alcoholics have more negative current drinkers compared to heavy drinkers.However, this may be due to the fact that some Nondrinkers are heavy drinkers which can increase the current risk.
- Genetic studies have found that“Risk factors continue to increase and there is a higher risk of exposure to alcohol."This indicates that all levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk of dementia." The study found no evidence.which shows that drinking alcohol has a protective effect
- Tripling the number of alcoholic drinks per week increased the risk of dementia by 15%, and doubling a person's natural risk of alcohol use disorder was associated with a 16% higher risk of dementia.
- Regarding the first findings that alcohol can be protective, the study found that "people who later developed dementia reduced their alcohol intake before the diagnosis", suggesting that the supposed benefit was not true.
"Our findings challenge the common belief that low levels of alcohol are beneficial for brain health," said psychiatrist Dr. Anya Topiwala, senior clinical researcher at Oxford Population Health and lead author of the study."The genetic evidence does not offer support for a protective effect; in fact, it suggests the opposite. Even light or moderate drinking can increase the risk of dementia, suggesting that reducing alcohol consumption in the entire population can play a significant role in preventing dementia."
Dr Stephen Burgess, Researcher at the School, said the findings did not apply to those with genetic predisposition."For those who do choose to drink, our study shows that heavy drinking leads to a higher risk of dementia."
The press release said the study adds to the growing body of evidence that there is no foolproof concept when it comes to health and alcohol.Researchers say it strengthens the case for preventive strategies to reduce alcohol consumption in the general population.
"The findings of our study support the detrimental effect of all forms of alcohol consumption on dementia risk, with no evidence to support a previously suggested modest drinking effect," the study concluded.
Is there any safe alcohol?
This isn't the only study to exaggerate the positive effects of alcohol consumption.In late 2024, the News reported several studies that refuted the idea of health benefits associated with drinking.
The study notes that alcohol-related deaths are on the rise in the United States, and while the risk increases the more you drink, there is no safe "amount of alcohol."
According to the article: "It is estimated that 1 in 5 people who drink alcohol will develop an alcohol use disorder. But others may develop related health problems."
News also reports on research linking heart disease and alcohol in women.
The World Health Organization has concluded that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, but earlier this year the paper reported that the US guidelines have lagged behind other studies and continue to suggest that moderate drinking offers some health benefits.
The guidelines report was controversial because it contradicts most research and policy in many other high-income countries. From this article: "The UK's National Health Service reports that 'cutting down on drinking can be a really effective way to improve health, increase energy, lose weight and save money.'" And he preaches the importance of weekly no-drinking days, which include a downloadable app of the same name.
The Washington Post reported that "nutritional drinks that quit smoking may restore some cognition and brain volume in study."
The article points out that brain imaging studies have found that even lower levels of alcohol consumption over time can have harmful consequences for the brain. "Topivala and colleagues found that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with smaller gray matter and increased iron content in the brain, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease."
