“As Little as 8 Alcoholic Drinks a Week Can Contribute to Dementia, Research Says”

Question

I used the People's website which tens to have bias and not generally a trustworthy source but I was able to find credible information and trustworthy sources within this topic. It is true that 8 drinks per week causes long term dementia and can really affect your health. They did research on people that drank alcohol consistently for years and found that alcohol caused lesions restricting blood flow and overall decreasing health. Everything was backed up by a scientific article showing that it is a fact.

https://people.com/as-little-as-8-alcoholic-drinks-a-week-can-contribute-to-dementia-research-says-11712922#:~:text=Per%20the%20study%2C%20published%20this,associated%20with%20diseases%20like%20Alzheimer's.

Answer 1

It is suggested for there to be a link being explored between being a moderate/heavy drinker to brain injuries, particularly 45% and 44% respectively but it's not necessarily linked to dementia in particular. Former heavy drinkers seem to be the most prone to brain injuries however, as 50% of them are stated to have brain injuries.

https://people.com/as-little-as-8-alcoholic-drinks-a-week-can-contribute-to-dementia-research-says-11712922

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409173113.htm

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/people-magazine/

Answer 2

Based on the information I found in an article by the Alzheimer's Society, it's true that excessive drinking per week can lead to dementia later in life. While drinking in moderation won't necessarily harm you, drinking over the recommended limit of 14 units per week can slowly start to shrink the part of your brain that stores memories. Excessive drinking also derives your body of Thiamine which is known to have effects on short-term memory. This article explains how although occasional drinking won't have as significant effect on your brain and on memories, the best way to decrease your chances of dementia is to stay healthy and if your already not drinking, to try not to start. 

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/alcohol

Answer 3

This statement is true. According to numerous trusted sources, the consumption of excess amounts of alcohol over years can lead to early on set dementia. While it is true that the source People magazine is usually not trustworthy or has particular biases, the study used in that source is reliable scientific evidence. Additionally, many other reliable sources, such as the Alzheimer's society, back up this claim.

 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/alcohol

Comments

You mention "numerous trusted sources" but only list one. It'd be great to know all the sources you reviewed to conduct your fact-check. Thanks!

Answer 4

According to my research, this claim seems to be true. The article you mentioned cites a study on how drinking eight or more alcoholic drinks per week can increase the risk of developing dementia. This aligns with research conducted by neuroscientists and organizations focused on brain health. Multiple studies have shown that heavy or chronic alcohol use can increase the risk of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The lesions and restriction of blood flow are factors that have been linked to alcohol-related damage to the brain's vascular system and can increase the likelihood of dementia. The source that the article uses seems to be credible, as its source is the American Academy of Neurology. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409173113.htm

Answer 5

Although there is not a direct correlation that drinking 8 drink per week leads to dementia there is research that "Heavy drinkers who have eight or more alcoholic drinks per week have an increased risk of brain lesions called hyaline arteriolosclerosis, signs of brain injury that are associated with memory and thinking problems" states the Medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology found on science daily. Overall, the science stating that there are increased risks of the damage alcohol can do to our brain and memory supports the claim that “As Little as 8 Alcoholic Drinks a Week Can Contribute to Dementia, Research Says”. Making it most likely true that alcohol has long lasting affects affecting our memory, therefore increasing risk of dementia.

Resources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409173113.htm#:~:text=FULL%20STORY-,Heavy%20drinkers%20who%20have%20eight%20or%20more%20alcoholic%20drinks%20per,the%20medical%20journal%20of%20the

Answer 6

The claim that "8 alcoholic drinks a week can contribute to dementia" is true. The claim that "8 drinks per week causes long term dementia" in this post's description, however, is misleading. The study in question, penned by the reputable American Association of Neurology (AAN) and cited by a variety of media outlets, draws a line of correlation, notably stopping short of decreeing definite causation. Alcohol's tendency to restrict and otherwise affect the normal function of blood vessels in the brain has been shown to result in brain damage. One possible manifestation of such damage are tau tangles, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease, and are calculated to be 41% and 31% more common in heavy and former heavy drinkers, per AAN.

Answer 7

The claim that has been made is somewhat true but mostly exaggerated to make a point. In an article written by Carrie Myers and reviewed by Dietician Annie Nguyen, Myers establishes the case that consumption of alcohol can raise brain damages by 133%. Heavy drinkers were associated to have 8 or more drinks per week and with the study done, researchers concluded that heavy drinkers were more likely to have brain lesions than non-drinkers. "Drinking has also been linked to cognitive decline and diseases of the brain. And this is what researchers in Brazil and at the University of California, San Francisco, wanted to take a closer look at," suggesting that the motive behind the study was to see if there is any correlation between drinking and [brain] health. Furthermore, the writer for the initial article does mention quotes and statistics which can prove the authenticity and overall credibility of the research but it lacks any real establishment of the study. "We looked at how alcohol affects the brain as people get older, [and] our research shows that heavy alcohol consumption is damaging to the brain, which can lead to memory and thinking problems." The previous quote mentions a study that is observational which cannot conclude causation between alcohol consumption and health. Additionally, the writer lacks scientific knowledge on the issue and it would be best if she consulted with a dietician or a professional to check any faults. Overall, the claim is true but it is airing on the side of misleading due to the lack of scientific evidence and knowledge on the issue.

https://www.eatingwell.com/drinks-per-week-increase-dementia-risk-11715884#:~:text=A%20study%20suggests%20that%20heavy,brain%20lesions%20than%20non%2Ddrinkers.

https://people.com/charlotte-phillipp-8584878

Answer 8

This statement is partially true. Overconsuming alcohol does affect your health and especially your brain, negatively. For males, the recommended amount a day is no more than 2 drinks. For Women, it is no more than 1 drink a day. Having a drink once in a while is not bad for you, but constantly drinking is. According to the "Cleveland Clinic," alcohol-related dementia develops after years of abusing alcohol. Mild memory loss is typically seen when developing alcohol-related dementia. Again, drinking is not a bad thing to do; it is when you are drinking irresponsibly that it becomes a dangerous activity.

Alcohol-Related Dementia: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment

Answer 9

This claim uses science daily as their main source to back their claim, as we can see in the numbers that are mentioned like how, "The study included 1,781 people who had an average age of 75 at death. All had brain autopsies." The article also goes on to talk about how "The final results showed that 40% of people who never drank had brain injuries, 45% of moderate drinkers had injuries, 44% of heavy drinkers had injuries and 50% of former heavy drinkers had injuries." However, when taking a look at the other article they used, we can see that those numbers don't actually really align with what is being written about. The claim as well as the article seem to use the data from the science daily article to prove a point that isn't actually backed by that same article. However, although the article they used didn't directly prove their point, when I did a general search on the claim it seems that some articles such as the medical news today, "a recent study explored the impact of alcohol consumption on various aspects of the brain, specifically dementia-related neuropathologies." In conclusion with the information that was provided by the the claim as well as the article they used to back themselves up I would say that it was definitely an exaggerated/ misleading claim

Answer 10

True. The People article correctly reports on a 2025 study published in Neurology (a peer-reviewed journal and the official publication of the American Academy of Neurology), which found that consuming as little as eight alcoholic drinks per week is associated with increased risk of brain changes linked to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The study analyzed 1,781 brain autopsies from individuals aged 50 and older and concluded that heavy drinkers (defined as eight or more drinks weekly) had significantly higher odds of developing neurofibrillary tangles(a hallmark of Alzheimer’s) and vascular brain injuries compared to non-drinkers.

You can verify the findings through these primary and secondary sources:

ScienceDaily summary of the study: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409173113.htm

The Washington Post coverage: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/04/19/alcohol-drinking-brain-injury-alzheimers/

The evidence supports the claim made in the People article.