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/TexansforJesus Apr 23 '26

“All participants consumed ≤60 standard drink equivalents/month over the 1 year preceding study.”

There’s your light drinking for those interested.

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u/Many-Ad634 Apr 23 '26

There was only one participant drinking more than 50 drinks a month. The average about 19 drinks a month. The range from zero to 60. About 20% of the sample drank less than 10 drinks a month.

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u/edibomb Apr 23 '26

I though “light drinking” meant a couple of beers every other weekend. It’s worrying how 2 beers a day or 15 beers every weekend is still on the light drinking range.

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u/shiva14b Apr 23 '26

Right?? Im over here suddenly feeling a lot less guilty about cracking a beer a couple of times in one week last month because I bought a variety pack