As we age we need to constantly work toward managing healthy behaviors such as exercising, eating healthy, and being engaged in social/intellectual activities.  These are proven ways to mitigate the effects of aging on health, wellness, mood, and memory.  It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to start this lifestyle  earlier in life to maximize effectiveness.

A new study (“Alcohol consumption and cognitive decline in early old age,” Neurology 2014, , in press)  adds our drinking behaviors to the formula of proactive lifestyle.  Drinking too much alcohol from at least middle age onward may accelerate cognitive decline.  The study reports the findings from the Whitehall longitudinal study of 7153 British civil servants 67% of who were male.  The study began in 1985-87 with cognitive tests administered in 1997-8 and administered twice during the next ten years.  Participants were aged 44-69 to begin the study and 64-89 at  the end of the study.

The findings for men were clear.  Drinking more than 3-4 drinks per day was associated with cognitive decline in all areas tested – especially memory.  For women (who were under represented in this population) drinking was associated with decline in executive functions and it took less alcohol to produce the effect in women than in men.  Women abstainers were also subject to greater decline than abstaining drinkers (however, there were too few abstainers to adequately assess this effect and abstainers may have a past history of heavy use).

There are a number of biological effects of heavy drinking that may contribute to the deleterious effects of alcohol on the brain and memory as we age.  Drinking too much at one time or chronically may produce cardiomyopathy (stretching and drooping of the heart muscle), and irregular heartbeats that can produce high blood pressure and stroke.  Alcohol induces changes in liver function such as inducing a fatty liver, hepatitis, fibrosis,  and cirrhosis.  Alcohol may cause pancreatitis and compromises the immune system for up to 24 hours after as single episode of getting drunk.  There are also a number of cancers that may be induced or worsened by heavy drinking.  These cancers include mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast cancer.

As we age the effects of alcohol are magnified by an increasing sensitivity.  The effects happen more quickly and with less alcohol.  Heavy drinking as we age increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure congestive heart failure, liver disease, osteoporosis, memory disorders, and  depression/anxiety.  Finally, drinking is associated with falling and motor vehicle accidents.

How much is too much alcohol to drink?  The National Institute of Health recommends no more than 7 measured drinks per week if you are 65 or older.  “Safe” drinking for those under 65 is judged to be 2-3 measured drinks for men and 1-2 measured drinks for women.  The issue here is not alcoholism but rather healthy life style as you age.

To quote Reinhold Niebuhr (1943):  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”  Successful aging takes work and effort and must begin at least in middle age.