The Risks of Daily Alcohol Consumption

Many people around the world enjoy an alcoholic beverage daily.  Not only is it enjoyable to kick back, relax and have a drink, but it has become almost customary in many different cultures.  In Italy for instance, many enjoy a glass of wine during meals to pair with the delicious foods.  After all, studies have shown that a glass of wine or beer a day can lead to many health benefits.  But, recent studies have begun to show otherwise.

As part of a study, researchers observed weekly alcohol intakes of individuals from the Whitehall II study, tracking diseases and social behaviors.  Such participants then took regular brain function tests as well as an MRI.  At the end of this study, researchers discovered that those who drank the greatest amount retained the highest risk of hippocampal atrophy.

Hippocampal atrophy is “a form of brain damage that can impact spatial navigation and can be associated with memory-loss conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.”  In the past, studies have shown that only heavy-drinkers suffer from brain damage, but it is beginning to show that even moderate-drinkers suffer the same results.

Although this news may put one on edge, experts say that people should not be changing their drinking behaviors based on this study alone.  Dr. Anya Topiwala of the University of Oxford says, “We were surprised that the light to moderate drinkers didn’t seem to have that protective effect.  These are people who are dinking at levels that many consider social drinkers, so they are not consuming a lot.”

Those who “drank the most” in the study consumed about 30 units of alcohol during the week, totaling to about a little more than two medium glasses of wine for every night.  That may be quite a handful for some, but it does not seem to be too over the top.  The moderate group of drinkers drank about 14 to 21 units of alcohol that week, equaling to about a glass of wine a night.

            Jen Christensen of CNN writes, “Researchers discovered that the moderate group was three times more likely to have hippocampal atrophy compared with people who didn’t drink at all.  However, in the heavy and moderate drinkers, there is no evidence to show how clinically significant this change is, and there is no evidence linking this loss to any negative general cognitive effects, even the ones for which the participants were tested.  With the light drinkers, those who had a small glass of wine a night or up to seven units per week, researchers didn’t see a significant difference compared with the abstainers, but they didn’t see any protective qualities, either.”

As this study has been released to the public, opposite reactions are imminent.  Some may look at this information and burst into a fit of hysteria, vowing to never touch a single drop of alcohol again, while others may shrug in disinterest.  Regardless, this study should be taken as a single grain of salt; drinking habits should not change due to one test, but such a message should be noted by all.

Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons