A new study shows that drinking more alcohol increases the risk of dementia — even in people without a genetic predisposition to the condition.

Alcohol is widely used and can be changed in our lifestyle, but its link to dementia has been unclear. Heavy drinking has been linked to higher dementia risk in some studies, but results have been mixed.

The effects of moderate drinking are even less certain, with some research suggesting possible benefits. However, recent brain imaging studies show that even small amounts of alcohol can harm the brain in ways linked to dementia.

Experts say it is important to understand these effects better to guide prevention and public health advice.

The new study, published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, looked at health and genetic data from about 560,000 people in the UK and the US, and genetic data from about 2.4 million people.

Researchers asked about participants’ drinking habits and examined genetic markers linked to alcohol use to measure long-term effects.

They found that people who drink more have a higher risk of dementia. For example, those who drank three drinks a week were 15% more likely to develop dementia than those who drank just once a week.

The findings add to growing evidence that there is no safe level of alcohol for brain health, challenging claims that moderate drinking might be beneficial.

29.09.2025.