According to renowned American neurologist Dr. Richard Restak, giving up alcohol at the age of 65 could be the key to warding off Alzheimer’s in later life. Even moderate consumption of alcohol, just one or two drinks every few weeks, can accelerate age-related damage in the brain’s nerve cells. “Alcohol is a very, very weak neurotoxin – it’s not good for nerve cells,” writes Dr Restak in his book, The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind.
Dr Restak, former president of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, suggests total abstinence from alcohol from the age of 65. This is due to the fact that the risk of dementia jumps five-fold and continues to increase every five years.
Dementia, an ongoing decline in brain functioning, affects nearly a million Brits and seven million Americans. With the aging population, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 1.5 million in the coming decades.
Multiple studies have linked high alcohol consumption to an increased risk of dementia. Prolonged excessive drinking is known to cause parts of the brain to shrink, a condition that can exacerbate the progression of dementia and sometimes even trigger it.
Heavy drinking throughout one’s life is listed as one of 14 lifestyle factors that could increase the risk someone could develop dementia. Excessive drinking can also cause Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, a type of dementia that occurs when alcohol disrupts the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B1, which is vital for keeping brain cells healthy.
Charities such as Alzheimer’s Research UK estimate that half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or significantly delayed if people cut down on drinking. The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units each week, which equates to 14 single shots of spirit or six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine.
Research has also suggested that the dangers alcohol poses to dementia risk may be present far before the age of 65. A major study found that half of French adults diagnosed with early-onset dementia, defined as before the age of 65, had alcohol-use disorder in their medical records.
While some small studies suggest moderate drinking could help ward off dementia, experts and charities insist this link hasn’t been substantially proven. Dementia costs an estimated £43 billion per year – a bill that’s expected to double by 2040.
Dr Restak’s advice to completely abstain from alcohol from the age of 65 serves as a stark reminder of the significant health risks associated with even moderate alcohol consumption. The fact that the risk of dementia jumps five-fold at this age and continues to increase every five years is a wake-up call. The link between heavy drinking and dementia is not a new finding, but Dr Restak’s specific age recommendation sharpens the focus on alcohol as a contributing factor to dementia.
This comes amidst a growing concern about the rise in dementia cases. With nearly one million Brits and seven million Americans currently affected and numbers predicted to rise significantly as populations age, it’s clear that dementia poses a significant public health challenge. The potential for alcohol abstinence to prevent or delay half of these cases could have profound implications not only for individual health but also for the healthcare system at large.
