Moderate alcohol consumption linked to lower dementia risk

According to a study published in Open JAMA Network.

In addition, the lead author of the study Keun Hye Jeon, MD, from the Department of Family Medicine at Cha Gumi Medical Center, Cha University in Gumi, South Korea, and colleagues found that a change in alcohol intake from high to moderate levels or the introduction light consumption alcohol consumption were both linked to a lower risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Currently, more than 57 million people are living with dementia globally, and that number is expected to rise to more than 152 million by 2050,” Jeon and colleagues wrote. “Alcohol consumption is generally considered a potential modifiable risk factor for dementia, but results from the literature are not entirely consistent.”

The retrospective cohort study, which included 3,933,382 participants (mean age, 55 years; 51.8% male) from the Korean National Health Insurance database, explored the link between drinking habits alcohol and the occurrence of all-cause dementia, vascular dementia and AD. Participants were aged 40 or older and underwent a national health examination in 2009, followed by a second in 2011. To determine hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between drinking alcohol and the incidence of dementia, the researchers used Cox proportional hazards regression analyses.

Newly Diagnosed vascular dementiaAD or other dementia served as the study’s primary endpoint.

Daily alcohol consumption below 15 g was defined as light, 15 g to 29.9 g was moderate, and 30 g or more was heavy, while a ‘none’ level was defined as 0 g per day.

Researchers reported that 2.5% of participants had all-cause dementia, 2% Alzheimer’s disease, and 0.3% vascular dementia after an average follow-up of 6.3 years after a latency period of one year. year.

According to the study, there was a 21% lower risk of dementia from all causes in participants with moderate alcohol consumption (adjusted RR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.77-0.81) and a 17% lower risk in those with moderate alcohol consumption. drinking (aHR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79-0.88) compared to participants who did not drink. However, those who drank heavily had an 8% increased risk of dementia from all causes (aHR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.12). Researchers have reported similar patterns for AD and vascular dementia.

Nondrinkers who started moderate alcohol consumption had a lower risk of all-cause dementia (aHR=0.93; 95% CI, 0.9-0.96) and AD (aHR=0 .92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.95) compared to moderate drinkers who maintained their level of drinking. Those who reduced their alcohol consumption from heavy to moderate also had an 8% lower risk of all-cause dementia (aHR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99) and a risk of MA 12% lower (aHR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.95).

Compared to those who maintained their alcohol levels, those who quit drinking and those who ever drank and increased their level of alcohol consumption all had an increased risk of dementia from any cause, the study found. .

“Our analyzes indicate that maintaining light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of dementia, while maintaining heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of dementia.” writes Jeon and his colleagues. “Notably, our analyzes stratified by initial amount of alcohol consumption indicate that reducing alcohol consumption from heavy to moderate and initiating light drinking were associated with reduced risk. all-cause dementia and AD.”