Age to stop drinking alcohol completely to avoid brain damage

In the new bookHow to Prevent Dementia: A Brain Health Expert's GuideDr. Richard Restak, an American neurologist, described alcohol as a neurotoxin. These are substances that damage, destroy, or impair the function of the nervous system, including the brain.

Because of the damage alcohol can do, Dr. Restak suggests an age at which people should stop drinking for good. “Age 65 and up should be when you permanently eliminate alcohol from your diet,” he writes.

How does alcohol damage the brain?

According to the Alzheimer's Association, evidence suggests that excessive drinking increases the risk of dementia. The organization explains that drinking is linked to reduced volume of white matter in the brain - which helps transmit signals between different brain regions, leading to problems with brain function.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that women drink no more than one 12-ounce beer (5%) or one 5-ounce glass of wine (12%) or 1.5 ounces of liquor (40%). Men have a threshold that is twice as high.

Drinking too much over a long period of time can shrink parts of the brain involved in memory. Drinking twice the recommended amount of alcohol can lead to a marked decline in thinking skills as people age.

People who consume excessive amounts of alcohol are also at risk of vitamin B1 deficiency, brain damage.

Measures to help reduce the risk of memory loss

Some risk factors for dementia — including genes, age, and exposure to air pollution — can’t be changed. But you can adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce your chances of developing the brain-related disease.

Exercise regularly

According to the Alzheimer's Association, there is strong evidence that lack of exercise increases the risk of dementia. A recent US study found that people with more lean muscle mass had a 12% lower risk of Alzheimer's.

Another study showed that sitting 10 hours a day increases the risk of rapid memory loss.

No smoking

Smoking can make you much more likely to develop dementia later in life because it increases your risk of heart and blood vessel problems, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Depression treatment

Depression is a common condition that, if left untreated, increases the risk of dementia, according to the UK National Health Service. According to the Alzheimer's Society, people who have experienced a depressive episode in their lifetime are more likely to develop dementia.

Control blood pressure and diabetes

Certain conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can lead to dementia, so getting regular checkups to avoid these conditions from getting worse can help reduce your risk.