Could Alcohol Lower the Risk of Death in Alzheimer Patients?

A new study found that patients with early-stage Alzheimer disease (AD) who drank 2-3 units of alcohol daily were 77% less likely to die from their disease, according to the study.

While alcohol consumption is typically associated with cancer, brain cell damage, and other health issues, previous studies have proved that moderate alcohol consumption can have positive effects on cardiovascular health and isn’t harmful to dementia. Although AD patients experience dementia, few studies highlight how alcohol affects those with AD.
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To conduct their study, researchers collected data as part of the Danish Alzheimer Intervention Study (DAISY), which followed 321 patients with mild AD over a 3-year period.

On a daily basis, 4% of patients drank more than 3 units of alcohol, 17% drank 2-3 units, 71% drank 1 unit or less, and 8% didn’t drink any. A standard unit of alcohol is about a half glass of red wine (87.5 ml of 12% alcohol by volume).

After their follow-up, researchers found that 16.5% of patients had died. However, patients who drank 2-3 units of alcohol had a 77% lower risk of death than those who drank 1 unit or less per day—regardless of the patients’ age, gender, quality of life, and smoking habits.

Although these findings seem positive, researchers agree that more research in this area is needed.

“The results of our study point towards a potential, positive association of moderate alcohol consumption on mortality in patients with Alzheimer's disease,” researchers conclude. “However, we cannot solely, on the basis of this study, either encourage or advise against moderate alcohol consumption in [these] patients.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Berntsen S, Kragstrup J, Siersma V, et al. Alcohol consumption and mortality in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open. Published online December 11, 2015. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/12/e007851.