Beer helps prevent age-related brain decline and dementia

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A study of 25,000 people showed , that moderate beer consumption provides some protection against age-related deterioration of the brain and the development of dementia.

Dementia is a syndrome accompanied by a destructive set of symptoms associated with the decline of brain activity and the destruction of the human personality.

In particular, Australian scientists from the University of New South Wales analyzed drinking habits in relation to rates of dementia among 25,000 people over the age of 60. The results of the analysis showed that people who drank up to a liter of beer per day were one-third less likely to develop dementia than non-drinkers.

Scientists made calculations based on information collected over 40 years of observations. None of the subjects showed signs of dementia at the beginning of the study. By the end of the project, more than 2,000 people had been diagnosed with it.

When researchers took a deeper look at the relationship between alcohol consumption and people's susceptibility to dementia, it turned out that people who drink alcohol are better protected from it appearance with age compared to absolute non-drinkers. According to the researchers, their data coincide with the results of a number of other studies, which also indicate a similar correlation.

In general, the authors of the new project established, the consumption of alcohol in the amount of up to 40 grams of ethanol per day – which is equivalent to two half-liter mugs of beer or two standard glasses of wine — is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia compared to cases where no alcohol is consumed at all.

The reason for this association, scientists believe, remains to be established.