“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

The claim that as few as eight alcoholic drinks per week can contribute to dementia is an oversimplification of research findings. Studies, including one published in The Lancet Public Health in 2018, indicate that consuming more than 14 drinks per week is associated with an increased risk of dementia, but the risk is not as significant for lower levels of alcohol intake. Moderate drinking, such as eight drinks a week, may not pose a clear or direct risk, as the effects depend on individual health conditions and other factors. Therefore, while excessive drinking is linked to dementia, the impact of moderate consumption is less certain and varies by individual.

Sources:

1. The Lancet Public Health (2018). "Association of alcohol with dementia and cognitive decline: a systematic review and meta-analysis." The Lancet

2. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). "Alcohol and Cognition." 

Answer 2

Overall, this is a very accurate claim. The article derived from People.com is supported by a neurological study. 

This quote from the study from the Academic Academy of Neurology states that "Researchers also found heavy and former heavy drinkers had higher odds of developing tau tangles, a biomarker associated with Alzheimer's disease, with 41% and 31% higher odds, respectively." which indicates that 8 alcoholic drinks a day does not mean that it is certain that an individual will develop dementia, but it is statistically likely that they will due to repetitive detrimental behavior. 

According to nih.gov, it is strongly correlated that alcohol deteriorates the brain and causes shrinkage. "Heavy drinking accelerates shrinkage, or atrophy, of the brain, which in turn is a critical determinant of neurodegenerative changes and cognitive decline in aging” 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6705707/