A major study has found that drinking any amount of alcohol may increase the likelihood of developing dementia, challenging the idea that moderate consumption is harmless or even beneficial.
The research, published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, assessed more than 559,000 participants across two large biobanks, the US Million Veteran Program and the UK Biobank. Participants, aged 56 to 72 at enrolment, were tracked for several years to record dementia diagnoses and deaths.
Unlike earlier observational studies that sometimes suggested moderate drinking could protect the brain, this analysis incorporated a genetic technique called Mendelian randomisation. By reducing bias from lifestyle factors, it provided stronger evidence that alcohol consumption, even at low levels , is linked to higher dementia risk.
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During the study period, more than 14,500 participants developed dementia. The data revealed a steady increase in risk with greater alcohol intake, and no sign that light drinking offered protection.
The authors concluded that the long-standing belief in a “safe” dose of alcohol for brain health is unsupported. They argued that reducing consumption may be an important measure for preventing dementia.
Global health authorities have consistently warned of alcohol’s wider harms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) links drinking to several cancers, cardiovascular disease, and liver damage.
In addition, the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that alcohol interferes with memory, balance, and judgment, raising the risk of accidents.
