Two beers a day damages human brains as much as 10 years of aging

https://newatlas.com ^ | March 6, 2022 | By Loz Blain

[Red Badger]

A large study of more than 36,000 high-quality MRI brain scans has found that drinking four units of alcohol a day – two beers, or two glasses of wine – causes structural damage and brain volume loss equivalent to 10 years of aging.

The science on alcohol consumption can be confusing and overwhelming. A quick scroll through our coverage over the years will tell you it directly causes cancer, but also reduces inflammation and helps to flush toxins out of the brain. It stunts growth in developing brains by nearly 50 percent, it permanently damages your DNA and is confidently linked with early-onset dementia, but on the other hand, red wine contains antioxidant compounds that are good for your heart, and can even help protect you from bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Some of these studies focus on regular, moderate alcohol intake. Others on sustained high-level alcoholism, and others still on the effects of occasional "binge" events. Some are human studies, some are animal or lab studies. Some are tightly controlled, others introduce the chaos of the real world. Some are small studies, some are large and diverse. It's hard to draw black-and-white conclusions to help you make decisions in your own life.

So here's the deal with the latest study that caught our eye. Led by a team from the University of Pennsylvania, this study examined brain MRIs from an impressive 36,678 patients, stored in the UK Biobank, all middle-aged or older. This study follows up on prior research that had focused on chronic heavy drinkers – a term that includes women that take three or more drinks on the average day, and men that take four or more.

[1Old Pro]

So 81 million voters have fried brains.

[SaxxonWoods]

Being straight adds 10 years.

[saleman]

Uh Oh.

I should’a been dead 30 years ago

[Bonemaker]

“If you drink 2 beers a day for 10 years, it is as bad as 10 years of aging.”

Au contraire...it adds years to your life just like days spent fishing!😎

[Karma_Sherab]

Well you see, Norm, it’s like this…
A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the heard is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.
This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.
In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.
Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first.
In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster more efficient machine.
And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

[IYAS9YAS]

Do it noesn’t.

[Red Badger]

ISWYDT!...................

[SamAdams76]

Two words...

Winston Churchill

[ought-six]

So, I died before I was even born?

[Red Badger]

https://www.azquotes.com/author/2886-Winston_Churchill/tag/beer

[Magnum44]

Was this a 10 year study? 🤣

[BiglyCommentary]

According to these formulas and what we did in my late teens, I should have the brain of someone 150 years old.

[Gay State Conservative]

It shouldn't be a surprise to learn that regular consumption of even small quantities of alcohol...or drugs...would do at least *some* damage.

[JayAr36]

OH, MY GOD, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! Selling more fear.

[BiteYourSelf]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ONm_gEYK4GQ .😋

[miliantnutcase]

We can’t have anything nice.

[marktwain]

An important number is missing from this analysis.

Four units of alcohol a day over what period of time?

One year? Two years? Ten years? 30 Years? 50 years?

It is an extremely important number.

[erlayman]

Apparently it’s more the number of drinks added in a day that is exponentially damaging rather than the length of time per se. So when you go from abstention to half a beer it isn’t so bad but from half to one, 2 years damage. Two to three, 3.5 years etc. In other words there may be safe amounts but basically the less the better.

[dforest]

Now they have come for your beer.

[azsportsterman]

Well, I only allow myself to drink 1 beer per day.

I’m working on the month of June 2047.