According to researchers at University College London in the UK, they have assessed the drinking habits of 5,054 men and 2,099 women at three different time over a ten year period. When participants turned 56, they took the first three tests of their memory and executive function over the next 10 years. They report that men who downed an average of 2.5 drinks per day showed signs of memory loss sooner than men who didn’t drink or men who were considered moderate drinkers. The researchers didn’t find the similar trend among women, although the heavier drinking women did show deficits as far as organization and planning skills.

It’s neither the first nor the last study to show the negative effect that drinking can have on cognitive functions, but it is among the first to look at its effects starting in younger, middle aged people. It also demonstrated how little alcohol takes to affect higher order functions like memory. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, for men, drinking up to 4 drinks a day is considered low risk drinking, while up to three drinks a day is considered low risk for women. But when measuring health risks, Centers for Disease Control say moderate consumption involves up to 2 drinks a day for men and only 1 drink for women.

The amount that one consumes is not an issue, the issue generates when this is a constant, almost repetitive day to day “habit” that begins. If not treated properly, it can spiral into a substance dependency and considering all the health risks, it’s best to seek treatment before your body cannot tolerate the substance any longer. For information on how to begin your journey to recovery please navigate through www.seabrook.org and learn of the services provided, and how we can help give you the knowledge and understand to help with your disease.