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Does alcohol cause dementia?

There is strong evidence that excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing dementia. This includes drinking more than the recommended maximum of 14 units per week and binge drinking.

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing dementia by:

✔ causing areas of the brain involved in memory to shrink
✔ affecting the brain's ability to transmit messages
✔ increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, which can lead to vascular dementia (a form of dementia caused by problems with blood flow to the brain)
✔ causing a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine) in the body, which leads to alcohol-related brain damage

There appears to be a particularly strong link between excessive alcohol consumption and the development of dementia at a young age, with symptoms appearing before age 65.

How much alcohol is safe to drink?

There have been many studies on the link between alcohol and dementia, and the results are mixed, but it is clear that drinking more than the recommended weekly limit increases the risk of developing dementia.

The evidence linking dementia to moderate drinking is less strong. Some studies suggest that giving up alcohol completely may reduce your chance of developing dementia, but it is generally accepted that if you stay within the recommended limits, it is unlikely to increase your risk.

Dementia with moderate alcohol consumption

Dementia with moderate alcohol consumption

A few inconclusive studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption (especially red wine) may have a protective effect against dementia, but if you don't drink alcohol there's no point in starting as the evidence is limited.

What are the guidelines for low-risk drinking?

The government and NHS recommend drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. This should be spread over at least three days, with a few alcohol-free days per week.

Here are typical units of alcohol in popular drinks:

✔ one measure of spirits, eg vodka, gin, whisky, rum (25ml): one unit
✔ bottle of regular strength beer/cider/lager (330ml): 1.7 units
✔ can of regular strength beer/cider/lager (500ml): 2.4 units
✔ pint of strong beer/cider/lager: three units
✔ small glass of wine (125ml): 1.5 units
✔ standard glass of wine (175ml): 2.1 units
✔ large glass of wine (250ml): three units
✔ bottle of low-alcohol drink (275 ml): 1.5 units

You should also avoid excessive drinking: drinking more than eight units of alcohol in one sitting for men and six units for women.