Older adults who drink between one and six alcoholic drinks weekly may have a lower risk of dementia than those who abstain, concludes surprising new research published in the Journal of American Medical Association.
The research appears in the journal's March 19 issue.
Researchers found that those who abstained from drinking alcohol were about twice as likely of developing dementia than those considered moderate drinkers — consuming between 1 to six drinks per week.
Kenneth Mukamal, at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and his collleagues looked at 373 people with early onset dementia and 373 controls who were among 5,888 adult participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study. (The health study began nearly 15 years ago to assess a variety of medical conditions among people over the age of 65 in four U.S. states.)
All the participants in the dementia study were 65 or older. The study found that those who drank one to six drinks a week had the lowest odds of developing dementia — a 54 per cent lower risk than those who abstained. But people who consumed 14 or more drinks per week had a 22 per cent higher risk of dementia than the abstainers.
Heavier alcohol consumption appeared to be more apparent among men than women, the study found.
The study came to the conclusion that compared with abstention, consumption of 1 to 6 alcoholic drinks weekly is associated with a lower risk of dementia among older adults.
For the study participants were asked to record the typical number of alcoholic drinks they had at a sitting, as well as how frequently they consumed these drinks. A drink was considered a 12-ounce beer, a 6-ounce glass of wine or a shot of liquor.
Researchers speculate that alcohol may be protecting against dementia by guarding against the the development of hardening of the arteries.
Earlier work by Dr. Mukamal and his colleagues found that light to moderate drinking was associated with a lower prevalence of white-matter lesions in the brain which scientists believe might be related to blood-vessel blockages.
These blockages are linked to heart attacks and dementia.
A recent study led by a research team at the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that men who drink three days a week or more face a 35-per-cent lower risk of coronary disease than those who abstain. But they also found there is no added benefit to consuming more than two drinks a day.
An enormous body of evidence already exists to suggest alcohol consumption, in particular wine, lessens the chances of heart disease in both women and men.
Despite the findings of the dementia study, Dr. Mukamal cautions that "given the observational nature of our study, we cannot recommend that older adults begin drinking moderately on the basis of these findings alone."
"Older adults should discuss their alcohol use with their physicians and make appropriate decisions based on these discussions," he said in a news release.
63
