To Your Health
December, 2020 (Vol. 14, Issue 12) |
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Alcohol Hurts Your Brain the Most at These Ages
By Editorial Staff
Listen up, drinkers everywhere: You're not going to like what you're about to hear ... but you need to hear it. Your brain doesn't handle alcohol very well. We're not just talking about what happens when you drink too much on a given night at your local bar (back when those were open); we're talking about declines in brain health that take place when people consume alcohol in general.
Researchers have gone a step further by isolating three specific time frames in one's lifetime in which alcohol consumption can impact brain health, and unfortunately, it essentially spans from the cradle to the grave:
- Gestation (from conception to birth): low-level prenatal alcohol exposure
- Later adolescence (15-19 years of age): adolescent binge drinking
- Older adulthood (age 65 and older): low-to-moderate alcohol use
Why these three time frames? Because each reflects a time of dynamic changes to the brain, making the brain particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. The good news is that from age 21-64, you can enjoy the occasional, responsible drink or two if you choose (if you're not pregnant, taking medication, etc.).
The bottom line: More people not only be aware of these critical times to avoid alcohol, but also understand the substantial impact alcohol consumption can have on brain health overall. To learn more about alcohol and the brain, click here. To learn more about the health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption per the CDC, click here.
