It is common knowledge that prolonged intake of excessive amount of alcohol has adverse effects on various organ systems of the body including the brain, heart, liver and kidneys. This has been sufficiently proven by research and observations. There is, however, less research on the benefits of alcohol consumption particularly to the brain.
While low levels of alcohol consumption have been demonstrated to have some positive effects on the heart and overall cardiovascular system, a new study conducted in mice has shown that it could also be beneficial to the brain.
The study observed the effects of both high and low levels of alcohol consumption in mice over a long period of time. Over time, high levels of alcohol consumption demonstrated signs of inflammation in the brain, in addition to reduced cognitive function and motor skills. On the other hand, low levels of alcohol consumption pointed to less inflammation and increased waste/toxin removal in the brain compared to those with no alcohol intake.
Analogous to the low level of alcohol consumption in this study is approximately 2 and a half drinks of alcohol per day in humans. This is equivalent to 2 small bottles/1 large bottle of beer, 2 glasses of wine or 2 shots of distilled liquor (spirit). When people drink above this limit, and this is common, they put themselves at risk for adverse effects, which not only negatively affects the brain but also affects other organ systems of the body. Moderation is key. Poorly processed/locally made alcoholic beverages are completely out of the question here as these can be lethal even at small doses.
While we await further researches on the positive effects of alcohol consumption, it is clear that there could be more benefits of alcohol that we know.
Source: MDLinx (Low doses of alcohol may help clean the brain)
