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Don’t Want Dementia? Alcohol Increases Your Risk

No one wants dementia, but those who drink alcoholic beverages are certainly increasing the likelihood of developing the disease. Once thought relatively safe at lower amounts, alcohol is now considered to be poison, aiding in the brain-robbing disease called dementia. 

Dementia affects about 7 million Americans today, and most of them are 65 or older. The biggest group of those with dementia are 75 and older, and there are twice as many women affected by it as men. Black Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be affected than white Americans. By 2050, there could be as many as 12.7 Americans with the disease. 

Symptoms of Alcoholic Dementia

There are not many differences between typical dementia and alcohol-related dementia. Some of the symptoms of alcoholic dementia include problems with emotional control, poor balance – even when they are not drinking, lack of motivation, difficulties with concentration, focus, making decisions, goal setting, and memory issues. 

Changes in the Brain

Alcohol changes the brain. In just one month, survey participants who drank three units of alcohol a day (one unit equals a small glass of wine or a half-pint of beer) had aged their brains by 3.5 years. 

Drinking alcohol and dementia both atrophy the brain. It does this by slowing the development of new neurons. It also affects the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for cognition and memory.

Risk Level Increases with Amount Consumed

Researchers believed until recently that small amounts of alcohol did have some health benefits, but it is not credible anymore. More recent studies conclude that no amount of alcohol is good for the brain because any alcohol increases your risk. It can even cause the brain to short-circuit, which may result in epilepsy or pain and numbness in the hands and feet. 

The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing dementia. The opposite is also true. If you are used to drinking moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol regularly, reducing the amount will lower your risk. 

Other Potential Risk Factors of Developing Dementia

Dementia has several factors that can lead to its development. They can lead to dementia by themselves or work in combination with alcohol. Some of the other factors include trauma to the head, low levels of vitamins D, B-6, B-12, and folate, sleep apnea, cardiovascular problems, and air pollution. 

A Healthy Diet Needed to Protect the Brain

Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to preserve brain tissue and function. The Mediterranean diet may be the best because it is balanced and provides many nutrients the brain needs for healthy function. Alcoholics generally do not eat a healthy diet.

Alcohol prevents vitamin B1 (thiamin) from being absorbed into the body – a vitamin your brain needs for proper function. Alcohol also damages the blood vessels, which can lead to your brain getting less oxygen and raising your blood pressure. Both problems can lead to a stroke. 

Treatment for Alcoholic Dementia

Symptoms of alcoholic dementia may be able to be slowed or even reversed if caught early. Treatment may even help increase your longevity. You will need to stop drinking alcohol first, which could lead to some withdrawal symptoms. Some vitamins may need to be prescribed, as well as some medications to help regulate the already occurring dementia symptoms. 

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