Long ago, NHS health professionals deemed a daily pint of beer to be pretty safe.
According to a study, however, consuming only half of that quantity could make you susceptible to memory problems over the long run.
Researchers discovered that consuming more than seven units per week — the equivalent of three pints of beer or five small glasses of wine — may contribute to an accumulation of iron in the brain.
The accumulation of this mineral has been connected to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
It could also explain why excessive alcohol use over time can cause cognitive impairment, say, researchers.
The research of over 21,000 middle-aged Britons evaluated iron deposits in the brains of those who consumed 0 to 33 units of alcohol per week.
The NHS recommended that adults consume no more than 14 units each week and spread them out over at least three days.
People who used seven or more units of alcohol per week were eight percent more likely to acquire iron deposits in the bilateral putamen, a crucial region of the brain.
A team of researchers led by Oxford University discovered that people with greater deposits scored worse on memory, logic, and reasoning tests.
Long-term alcohol consumption has been related to cognitive deterioration and even dementia, but this study reveals a ‘potential mechanism’ for this association.
The study, published in PLOS Medicine, examined MRI brain scans from 2006 to 2010 of 20,956 individuals in Newcastle, Stockport, and Reading. Participants ranged in age from 40 to 69.
To quantify their unit intake, scientists also inquired about the types and quantities of beverages consumed each week.
Less than 3% of individuals never drank, whereas the majority consumed approximately 18 units each week, which is equivalent to six big glasses of wine.
They were divided into five groups based on how much alcohol they consumed.
The team next evaluated the cognitive abilities of participants to determine whether the deposits altered brain performance.
As a measure of their motor skills, one of the tests required participants to draw a line between numbered dots as quickly and accurately as possible.
A memory test required individuals to recall shapes after viewing them on a screen for varying amounts of time.
In a third test designed to evaluate their logic and reasoning skills, they were required to answer abstract questions.
Dr. Anya Topiwala, a psychiatrist at the University of Oxford, stated, “In the largest study yet, we discovered that drinking more than 7 units of alcohol per week was connected with iron accumulation in the brain.”
“Higher iron levels in the brain are associated with diminished cognitive ability.” The iron buildup could underlie alcohol-related cognitive impairment.’
