Moderate wine consumption may decrease the risk of dementia

Moderate wine consumption may have a positive impact on dementia.

With the number of cases of dementia steadily increasing due to the aging population, researchers have focused on modifiable risk factors to prevent the future onset of disease.

DementiaDementia is a form of cognitive impairment where an individual loses the ability to think rememb... can be linked to genetic, environmental or lifestyle factors (smoking, diet, exercise …), however, conflicting data exist regarding the relationship of alcohol consumption and dementia.

A Swedish study including more than 12 000 twins (the twin with a light consumption of alcoholic beverages served as a reference for the moderate drinking twin) was carried out and the participants were followed up for 43 years. The authors concluded that with a moderate consumption of wine (5-12g ethanol/day), every additional gram of alcohol corresponded with a risk decrease by 2%.

On the contrary, even with a moderate consumption, every additional gram of alcohol from spirits was associated with a risk increase by 3%, and no specific effect was observed for beer.

Handing et al., Midlife Alcohol Consumption and Risk of DementiaDementia is a form of cognitive impairment where an individual loses the ability to think rememb... Over 43 Years of Follow-Up: A Population-Based Study From the Swedish Twin Registry. Journals Of Gerontology Series A-Biological Sciences And Medical Sciences, 2015.

For more information about this article, read the scientific abstract here.