A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Georgia (UGA) suggests that light to moderate alcohol consumption may help preserve cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. Published in JAMA Network Open, the research, titled “Association of Low to Moderate Alcohol Drinking With Cognitive Functions From Middle to Older Age Among US Adults”, offers new insights into the potential link between moderate alcohol intake and long-term brain health. Ruiyuan Zhang, MD, MS, lead author and doctoral student at UGA’s College of Public Health, highlights that while regular, moderate alcohol consumption has previously been associated with heart health, its impact on cognitive function over time has remained less clear. This study is among the few to systematically track cognitive trajectories over a decade, addressing gaps in earlier research that failed to isolate alcohol’s effects on brain health.

The study analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative dataset that tracks the health and lifestyle of adults in the United States. Zhang and his team followed 19,887 participants who completed biannual surveys over a 10-year period, assessing their drinking habits, cognitive performance, and overall mental health. Light to moderate drinking was defined as fewer than eight drinks per week for women and fewer than 15 drinks per week for men. Cognitive function was evaluated using a battery of tests measuring mental status, word recall, and vocabulary, which were combined to generate a total cognitive score. Participants’ cognitive trajectories were categorized as either “high” (remaining stable over time) or “low” (declining). The findings revealed that participants who consumed one to two drinks per day demonstrated consistently higher cognitive scores compared to non-drinkers.

The optimal range of consumption, according to the study, was between 10 and 14 drinks per week, although Zhang cautions against encouraging non-drinkers to begin drinking for cognitive benefits. “It is hard to say this effect is causal,” Zhang explained, emphasizing that the study does not advocate alcohol consumption as a preventative measure against cognitive decline. Even after controlling for other factors known to influence cognitive health—such as age, education level, and smoking—the researchers found a significant association between light drinking and better cognitive outcomes. Interestingly, the protective effect was more pronounced among white participants than African American participants, signaling the need for further research into how demographic and biological factors influence alcohol’s impact on cognition.

While these findings may validate the long-standing belief that a glass of wine or beer in moderation can contribute to healthy aging, Zhang underscores the complexity of interpreting the results. He stresses that individual differences, lifestyle factors, and pre-existing conditions must be considered. This study, co-authored by a team of experts, including Luqi Shen, MS; Toni Miles, MD, PhD; Ye Shen, PhD; Jose Cordero, MD, MPH; Yanling Qi, PhD; Lirong Liang, PhD; and Changwei Li, MD, PhD, MPH, represents a significant step forward in understanding the nuanced relationship between alcohol and cognitive health. However, Zhang and his colleagues caution against using these findings as a one-size-fits-all recommendation, calling for further exploration of the mechanisms driving the observed associations.