Drinking three pints a day means your ‘three times more likely to develop dementia at a young age’
Thirty nine per cent of Alzheimer's cases could be directly linked to regular heavy drinking, researchers warn
DRINKING three pints a day means you're more than three times likelier to develop early-onset dementia, according to new research.
More than half of cases of the brain wasting disease are caused by heavy drinking, the French study claimed.
Researchers said it was proof that too much alcohol causes irreversible brain damage.
French scientists spent six years studying 57,000 patients struck down by dementia before the age of 65 and found 57 per cent had been heavy drinkers.
Thirty nine per cent of cases were directly related to regular boozing and another 18 per cent of sufferers had been problem drinkers.
Overall, those who drank too much were more than three times likelier to develop dementia.
Heavy drinking is defined as three daily pints of beer for men and two large glasses of wine for women.
Government guidelines for both sexes suggest no more than 14 units of alcohol a week — equivalent to a pint of beer or small glass of wine daily.
More than a quarter of UK adults are estimated to exceed these limits.
Lead researcher Dr Michaël Schwarzinger, of Translational Health Economics Network in Paris, said: "Our findings suggest that the burden of dementia attributable to alcohol use disorders is much larger than previously thought, suggesting that heavy drinking should be recognised as a major risk factor for all types of dementia.
"Heavy drinking is not a small problem.
"There is a strong effect of large alcohol consumption and brain damage."
Dr Sara Imarisio, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: "This is not the first time research has revealed a link between alcohol misuse and dementia, and the findings lend even more weight to calls for people to drink within recommended guidelines.
"Taking steps to curb the amount of alcohol you consume can have far-reaching health benefits and isn’t limited to improving brain health."
Dr Doug Brown, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: "This suggests alcohol-abuse disorders may be responsible for more cases of early-onset dementia than previously thought.
"However, it in no way suggests moderate alcohol intake could cause early-onset dementia."
Julie Breslin, head of Addaction’s Drink Wise Age Well programme, said: "While the link between harmful drinking and conditions such as cancer and heart disease is becoming better understood, far fewer people are aware of the link with dementia.
"Evidence is increasingly showing that regular excessive drinking can increase the risk of the most common forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia."
MORE ON DEMENTIA
It comes just weeks after US research found moderate drinking was good for the brain.
Around 850,000 Brits have the brain-wasting disease and the figure is expected to hit two million in the next three decades.
There is currently no cure but some drugs can control the symptoms.
Experts estimate one in 20 dementia cases is early-onset.
GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected].