Moderate, Regular Alcohol Consumption Associated with Higher Cognitive Function

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #1

2020:

2016:

Mike’s Excellent Glucose Monitor Adventure 2
Long term Keto and ketones
(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

I am always wary of studies showing that “moderate” drinking is good for you. In my experience, non-alcoholics have a very different understanding of what constitutes moderate drinking from what alcoholics consider to be “moderate.” One of my A.A. friends said that he read an article defining moderate drinking as two drinks a day. His question was, “So your have your ten drinks Monday night; what are you supposed to do for the rest of the week?”

Friends of mine knew a doctor and researcher from A.A. meetings. Years ago, she published research showing that alcoholics could learn to drink “moderately.” Last my friends had heard of her, she was in prison for vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence.

Since I have an addictive personality, it’s probably safest for me to stay sober, and let others do the “moderate” drinking.

#3

and I always ask myself who funds these “studies”.
the truth of the matter is that people who drink excessively are actually killing off their brain cells because alcohol is actually a poison. Check out Korsakov Syndrome. Late stage alcoholics have impairment of their brain functions because they have killed off so many brain cells by drinking. How can that be good in moderation? A poison is a poison. Having said that- I will have an occasional drink- that just isnt often. The reason is also because I dont like the buzz. I like to keep my mind clear and sharp. I went into psychoanalysis and cleaned up my life so my reality today is fine and something I can live well with. So I dont need to flee my reality in any way. Not perfect but I am grateful for so many things. Dont need a buzz to paint my day pretty, because its ok. As an aside- a big part of that was learning to avoid abusive relationships with the ability to protect myself! Not only from the abuse of others, but getting rid of the self-abuser inside of myself!

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #4

…‘who funds these “studies”…’ Valid question, and the answer is easily obtained by info provided in both studies. If you so desired you could do a deep dive into each author. In my opinion, I don’t think you’re going to discover hidden in the small print that Dageo funded these studies or authors.

…‘people who drink excessively…’, however, is a strawman. Neither of these studies claims that ‘excessive’ drinking is OK, carry on. As @PaulL points out, ‘moderate’ means different things to different folks. I consider myself, for instance, to be a ‘light’ drinker because I don’t drink daily nor even weekly and seldom drink enough to feel light-headed and never drunk. But someone like yourself who thinks ethanol is poison to be avoided like strychnine might fear a single drop crossing your lips will bring sudden brain death. Both studies are quite clear what they mean and do not mean. They do not suggest getting an ‘ethanol high’ every day of the week would be beneficial.

  1. For the study published in Jamanetwork:

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.
Funding/Support: The present study is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award UL1TR002378.
Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

  1. For the study published in pubMed:

Acknowledgments

Funding: This study is supported by NIH grant NIAAA R01 AA021187. The Rancho Bernardo Study was funded by research grants AG028507 and AG018339 from the NIA and grant DK31801 from the NIDDK.

Footnotes

Conflict of interests No authors declare a conflict of interest.
Ethical standards: The authors declare that the study procedures comply with the current ethical standards for investigation involving human subjects in the United States.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #5

I guess I should point out the reason I posted these studies. Perhaps to the chagrin of some, there have been many studies published over many years indicating that light to moderate ethanol consumption is not detrimental, but supportive of overall health and longevity. I thought these two with their subject being ethanol as protective against the decline of mental acuity with age were interesting.

I appreciate that we’re all unique and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ for everyone. I’m not an ethanol advocate and especially I’m not a proponent of drinking to light-headedness and/or inebriation on a regular basis. I know that some folks can’t drink ‘one’ and walk away. But many folks can do just that and I think it’s silly to lump them all together rather than inquire why and why not.

(Bob M) #6

It could also be that people who have higher cognitive function (like me :wink:) drink moderately.

Causation is always difficult.

As for who funds the study, this may or may not be important. Atkins had to fund a study, because everyone else refused to do so, believing saturated fat was Death Incarnate.

(Bunny) #7

A glass of wine maybe a shot of expensive whiskey (still have an entire bottle of courvoisier whiskey in the fridge, been their for two years) maybe every 6 months…that’s what moderate means to me!

Just don’t let me loose in a night club …lol

I always drink a bottle of water in-between drinks so I can drink a lot all night long.

(FRANK) #8

@atomicspacebunny, What did you say your address was?