Dementia expert shares the age at which you should stop drinking alcohol
It's no secret that regular consumption of large amounts of alcohol can damage your brain, but now one dementia expert has uncovered the exact age at which you should lay off the booze to decrease your risk of developing the disease.
Dr Richard Restak describes alcohol as a "direct neurotoxin" in his new book, 'The Complete Guide to Memory ', and is urging people of all ages to reconsider their relationship with drink. But when it comes to warding off dementia, he's shared the exact age at which people should cut alcohol out completely.
According to Dr Restak, from the age of 65, alcohol should be completely removed from our lives as it increases the risk of falling while also damaging your memory. He explained: "Ask yourself, 'why do I drink?' If the answer is, 'because alcohol helps me to elevate my mood and lower my anxiety', you may be at some peril, and it's probably best to stop altogether.
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The medical community is divided on whether consuming any alcohol, even infrequently, is wise as we get older (Getty Images)
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"I strongly suggest that if you are 65 years old or older, that you completely and permanently eliminate alcohol from your diet." He also highlighted that death rates from falls are on the rise, and since alcohol puts older people at risk of falling, it should be reduced.
He said limiting alcohol consumption is especially important if "you are already afflicted with other contributors to falls, such as a decline in strength, muscle atrophy, balance issues, and the taking of medications". Adding: "In that case, drinking alcohol may be especially dangerous."
Some doctors say "drinking in moderation" is alright, but others say even a small amount can be bad for older people because their bodies can't handle it as well. While a hangover may be a mild nuisance during our youth, one expert in dementia and geriatrics has warned that as the years progress our liver and brain become less capable of coping with the after-effects of drinking.
Doctor Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatrician and dementia expert in San Francisco, California, said: "The liver and brain have the most resilience during that time. The frontal lobes (reasoning, and judgment) are not quite developed. One is more likely to be open to drinking more or taking more risks, and this can set habits that will cause problems down the line."
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Like most people who drank in their 20s, this wouldn't necessarily be linked to alcohol poisoning, which happens when we consume too much alcohol too fast. The doctor mentioned that having a glass of wine once a week is pretty safe, as far as she's concerned.
Some doctors even say one glass a day won't hurt, but she reminds us that alcohol is "neurotoxic (any substance, man-made or natural, toxic to a person's brain as well as peripheral nervous system), and that can catch up with you." She warned: "Ask yourself: How is your health otherwise?
"Obesity, which is epidemic in America, increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver. Alcohol increases the risk of liver disease and scarring (cirrhosis)." And when you're over 40, past drinking can come back to haunt you, especially if you're not healthy.
She also said that being overweight, or having diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol ups your chances of heart attacks, strokes and some kinds of dementia. If you have these issues, even a little drink can make heart attacks or strokes more likely.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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