Think having a few drinks each week is harmless? A new study says think again. According to research published in Neurology, drinking eight or more alcoholic drinks per week could raise your risk of developing brain damage by a staggering 133%.
The study analyzed autopsy results from nearly 1,800 individuals with an average age of 75. Researchers from Brazil and the University of California, San Francisco examined brain tissue and paired it with in-depth reports from the deceased’s close relatives. The findings were eye-opening.
Those who drank heavily, defined as eight or more standard drinks per week, were 133% more likely to have vascular lesions in their brains, which are strongly linked to cognitive decline.
Even those who drank moderately (up to seven drinks per week) had a 60% increased risk. Former heavy drinkers weren’t off the hook either—they still showed 89% higher odds of brain damage compared to non-drinkers.
The study also found that heavy drinkers died, on average, 13 years earlier than non-drinkers. Researchers discovered additional signs tied to Alzheimer’s disease, such as tau protein tangles, were significantly more common in those who had a history of heavy alcohol use.
While researchers admit the study has limitations—like relying on next-of-kin reports and excluding traumatic deaths—the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore: regular alcohol use, especially in excess, takes a serious toll on brain health.
If you have more than one drink per night, it may be time to reassess. The occasional glass might not hurt, but if it’s a daily habit, your brain could be paying the price. The choice is yours—but the science is clearer than ever.
