2024-08-19 10:56:58
Alcohol consumption may not pose a risk to our health if it is done in moderation. However, over time, many specialists advise against its consumption, being categorical about limiting it since more sustained consumption increases the risk of suffering from dementia.
How does senile dementia begin? Symptoms that require immediate medical attention
Dementia is a group of diseases that affect memory, thinking and the ability to carry out daily activities. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 million new cases occur each year, where one of the main risks of this syndrome is age. There is a deterioration of cognitive functions that does not coincide with normal biological aging.
At what age should we restrict alcohol consumption?
Other factors that cause this condition are high blood sugar, smoking, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption. The latter substance can affect the ability to reason and judge every time one drinks. Thus, prolonged abuse of alcohol damages neurons, causing permanent memory impairment, which can result in conditions such as dementia.
Although excessive alcohol consumption is advised against by many specialists, drinking smaller doses at a certain age is also not recommended. Neurologist Richard Restak highlights in an article in the British newspaper The Sun the exact age at which we should stop drinking and why at this stage of life.
Restak is categorical in his response when asked when it is time to quit drinking: “I strongly suggest that if you are 65 years of age or older, you completely and permanently limit alcohol consumption in your diet.” The specialist described alcohol as a direct neurotoxin, a substance that damages, destroys or disables the functions of the nervous system, including the brain.
At age 65, alcohol can increase the risk of developing dementia.
What damage does alcohol cause to the brain?
As for the effect of alcohol on the brain, evidence provided by the Alzheimer’s Society has shown that this substance is capable of increasing a person’s risk of suffering from dementia. Alcohol is linked to the reduction of the volume of white matter in our brain, capable of helping to transmit signals between different regions of the brain, leading to an increased risk of suffering problems in its various functions.
For these reasons, at 65, alcohol consumption becomes risky for the function of our brain, where the chances of suffering inhibitions in cognitive capacity increase. Other damage to this organ includes lack of concentration, difficulty in solving problems, setting goals, making judgments, controlling emotions and the lack of processing new information.