We're just beginning to learn about the benefits of alcohol, in moderation, to the body and mind. Not only does drinking up occasionally help our hearts, boost brain power and reduce the risk of diabetes, but we now know that for those aged 60 and up, the occasional drink can also help memory.
U.S. Researchers recently discovered that for those 60 and older without dementia, light alcohol consumption boosts the ability to remember things.
Researchers studied more than 600 patients who completed questionnaires about their alcohol use and underwent neuropsychological evaluations. Scientists also studied their risk factors for Alzheimer's, as well as took MRI's of their brains. Those who drank lightly had better abilities for remembering events than those who didn't. Those who drank moderately had larger hippocampuses, that part of the brain associated with memory.
Previously, animal studies showed similar results: those with moderate alcoholic consumption had larger hippocampuses. This suggests that alcohol helps the hippocampus generate nerve cells and releases those chemicals in the brain associated with processing information for later recall.
However, these memory benefits only seem to occur after age 60.
"There were no significant differences in cognitive functioning and regional brain volumes during late life according to reported midlife alcohol consumption status," says lead author Brian Downer. "This may be due to the fact that adults who are able to continue consuming alcohol into old age are healthier, and therefore have higher cognition and larger regional brain volumes, than people who had to decrease their alcohol consumption due to unfavorable health outcomes."
Of course, abusing alcohol over time is harmful to the brain. This is when someone has five or more drinks at a time. Those who indulge like this over time are at risk of serious brain damage and liver disease. And, according to the World Health Organization, alcohol is one of the leading causes of death in the world.
However, for those who only indulge occasionally, science has shown that alcohol has positive effects on the body. For those who drink moderately, one to two drinks per day, one of the major benefits alcohol provides is cardiovascular health.
"The idea that moderate drinking protects against cardiovascular disease makes sense biologically and scientifically," writes the Harvard School of Public Health. "Moderate amounts of alcohol raise levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol), and higher HDL levels are associated with greater protection against heart disease."
Other benefits of moderate drinking include lessening the risk of diabetes and stroke.
