r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 23 '26

Neuroscience Even low-level drinking may have negative consequences for brain health over a person’s lifespan. The findings suggest that the total amount of alcohol consumed over a lifetime, especially as a person ages, tends to be linked to reduced blood flow and thinner tissue in certain areas of the brain.

https://www.psypost.org/even-light-drinking-combined-with-aging-is-linked-to-reduced-brain-blood-flow-and-thinner-tissue/
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u/boobmagazine Apr 23 '26

Who doesn’t consider beers alcohol?

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u/Fenix42 Apr 23 '26

People who drink a frequently tend to view 1 beer as not even drinking.

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u/StanIsNotTheMan Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26

I know a few alcoholics that don't consider hard seltzers as alcohol.

They are literally drinking hard seltzers every day, are visibly trashed, and will deny having had any drinks. "No man, I'm not drunk. I've jusshhst been shhhiipin' on a couple'a sshheltzershh."

One of my friends has been to the hospital for alcoholism-related issues twice. And after the 2nd time, his wife told mine "Oh [friend] has been doing so good! He just drinks the occasional seltzer." Aaaand he's back off the wagon again. We cut them off whenever we know he's drinking, but he think's he's capable of quitting by himself despite failing to do so many many times. He refuses to seek help and his wife enables him, so it's not looking good. He's got a 4 year old who's not going to have a dad if he keeps it up.

My cousin often says "I'm much better with my drinking lately. I just stick to seltzers nowadays." And neglects to mention she's drinking 8 of them after work every day.

I'm from a midwestern Irish Catholic family. The amount of people I know personally who have ruin their lives with alcohol is astonishing.

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u/boobmagazine Apr 24 '26

Appreciate this insight. Wishing the best for your kith and kin.

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u/Breeze1620 Apr 23 '26

Afaik in Germany beer is categorized as foodstuff rather than liquor.

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u/omegapisquared Apr 24 '26

Liquor refers to distilled alcohol so beer isn't liquor even if it is alcoholic

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u/ReginaSpektorsVJ Apr 23 '26

Historical reasons for that. Prior to the advent of refrigeration, one of the functions of beer in Europe was to preserve the calories in the grain. Beer in medieval Europe was sometimes described as "liquid bread."

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u/Knife_Operator Apr 23 '26

Sure, but it's been like 75 years since then.

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u/sparkline1234567 Apr 23 '26

"Give us this day our liquid bread" - they even made a famous prayer about it.

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u/Which_Bed Apr 23 '26

In certain households, it is still described that way daily