Alcohol dates to 7000 BC in China, where fermented honey, rice, and fruit created an early pleasurable drink. Wines followed in Georgia and Iran, with barley beer emerging around 3500 BC. Alcohol is prized by every culture, as even the Egyptians used it medicinally, and the Old Testament recommended it to ease suffering.
But what happens as we age? Alcohol affects every organ, and the brain bears the greatest cost. It’s absorbed rapidly and diffuses quickly into brain tissue. Even two drinks per day can cause volume loss equivalent to ten years of aging in both gray and white matter. Cognition declines, dementia follows, and the limbic system, which governs emotion, sensation, and balance, is especially vulnerable. In severe cases, irreversible Korsakoff’s psychosis can result.
Beyond the brain, any alcohol consumption raises the risk of colorectal, esophageal, breast, liver, and oral cancers. The Surgeon General now echoes these concerns.
Some alcohol can be very enjoyable especially with meals as food slows down absorption. Exercising caution is prudent. Tell your doctors about your habits so advice can be individualized to protect your unique brain.
Happy Spring.
