Alcohol Consumption in Moderation Perhaps Not Too Harmful: Some Neuroprotective Benefits? (BBC News / BMJ / NHS Choices / Heart)

Summary

New evidence suggests that moderate levels of alcohol consumption (drinking between 7 – 14 units of alcohol per week) results in a lower level of risk for developing dementia, when compared to the dementia risk for either heavy drinkers or people who don’t drink alcohol.

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Reference

Alcohol and dementia – is moderate drinking safe? London: BBC Health News, August 2^nd 2018.

This relates to:

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Reference

Sabia, S. Fayosse, A. [and] Dumurgier, J. [et al] (2018). Alcohol consumption and risk of dementia: 23 year follow-up of Whitehall II cohort study. BMJ. August 1^st 2018; 362: k2927. [Epub ahead of print].

An NHS Choices Behind the Headlines critical appraisal explores the implications of this research in some detail.

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Reference

No proof that moderate drinking prevents dementia. London: NHS Choices; Behind the Headlines, August 2^nd 2018.

Chocolate Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Further Evidence That a Little Bit of What You Fancy Does You Good? (Heart)

Overly-puritanical public health messages may be partially wrong on many levels. Moderate chocolate consumption (below 100 g per week) appears to be associated with a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease; although higher consumption levels probably negate the health benefits due to the adverse effects from high sugar consumption.

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Reference

Ren, Y. Liu, Y. [and] Sun, XZ. [et al] (2018). Chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular diseases: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Heart. July 30^th 2018. [Epub ahead of print].