Wine Linked to Better Mental Function in Seniors

Source: Tufts University
December 20, 2002 (Reviewed: December 16, 2004)

Health conscious consumers have likely heard that an occasional glass of wine can be a 'heart healthy' part of a meal. What works for the heart may also work for the blood vessels in the brain - a study in the journal Neurology has linked wine intake to a lower risk of age-related dementia.

Assessing the effect of alcoholic beverages

Danish researchers recruited 1709 men and women, age 65 and older, who were part of a larger study on heart disease. All completed a test designed to screen for signs of mental decline. In this group, 83 people (about 5% of the participants) showed some signs of dementia.

Using already collected information on alcohol intake - what type and how much the people usually consumed - the researchers compared the usual intake of those diagnosed with dementia with that of the remaining 1626 healthy participants. They were looking for a connection between the consumption of specific types and amounts of alcohol and risk of dementia.

The researchers found that those who drank at least one glass of wine each week were much less likely than those who never drank wine to develop dementia. Neither beer nor distilled spirits afforded a similar kind of protection.

Why does wine make a difference?

Other studies also have found a potential link between the moderate intake of alcohol and better mental functioning. Some scientists think that the benefit may come from the alcohol itself, but others say that there are substances in wine - especially red wine - that help keep aging brains functioning normally. The key ingredients are probably the flavonoids - powerful antioxidants that may help keep the blood vessels in the brain healthy by reducing the damage caused by everyday wear and tear.

Researchers speculate that some forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, may result from the same kind of blood vessel damage that causes heart disease.

How much is too much?

The people in this study who benefited from wine intake were consuming less than one drink per day. This is not a case of 'more is better,' though, because heavier alcohol intake - more than 2 drinks per day for men and more than 1 drink per day for women - can boost the risk of some types of cancer. Nor, say the authors, should non-drinkers start to drink in an attempt to head off dementia. They point to other problems, such as interactions with medications, which can complicate alcohol use among older consumers.

Remember, it's not necessary to drink wine in order to get the benefit of flavonoids, since other foods of plant origin - notably tea and many varieties of fruits and vegetables - are also prime sources.

Source

• Amount and type of alcohol and risk of dementia. T. Truelsen, D. Thudium, M. Gronbaek, Neurology, 2002, vol. 59, pp. 1313--1319

Related Links
Moderate Drinking May Cut Diabetes Risk in Older Women
A Closer Look at Alcohol and Health
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