Heavy drinking linked to strokes many years earlier, new study finds

New research suggests pouring yourself a third drink can cause problems for your brain.

Researchers at Harvard University found that people who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day suffer a stroke more than 10 years earlier than those who drink less.

The study, published this week in the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal Neurology, shows that heavy drinking is associated not only with early strokes but also with larger, more deadly brain hemorrhages and long-term brain damage.

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The study analyzed data from 1,600 adults, with an average age of 75, who were hospitalized for intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.

During hospitalization, participants were asked about their symptoms. drinking habitsdirectly or through family members.

Researchers at Harvard University have found that people who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day may suffer a stroke more than 10 years earlier than those who drink less. (St. Petersburg)

Of the 1,600 participants, about 7% were classified as heavy drinkers.

Researchers define binge drinking as drinking three or more drinks each day, with one drink being the equivalent of a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor.

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Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeding and whether the patient showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease. Cerebral small vessel disease is a condition that damages small blood vessels in the brain and is associated with aging. high blood pressure And dementia.

The average age of heavy drinkers is 64 years, while the average age of non-binge drinkers is 75 years, an 11-year difference. They also had, on average, 70% more brain hemorrhages.

Researchers defined “binge drinking” as drinking three or more drinks each day, where one drink is the equivalent of a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor. (Getty Images)

The study also found that heavy drinkers were twice as likely to bleed deep into the brain and nearly twice as likely to have the bleed spread to fluid-filled spaces in the brain, a serious complication called intraventricular dilatation.

They were also three times more likely to develop severe disease. white matter damagewhich is associated with long-term cognitive decline and brain aging.

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Alcohol has previously been linked to the risk of stroke, but this research According to lead author Dr. M. Edip Groll of Harvard University, this suggests that this may promote small vessel disease, making the brain more vulnerable to severe strokes and slowing recovery.

“reduce” heavy use of alcohol “In addition to lowering the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, it may slow the progression of cerebral small vessel disease, thereby reducing the likelihood of new strokes, cognitive decline, and long-term disability,” Grohl said in a press release.

“Heavy drinking is also associated with high blood pressure, which contributes to this type of stroke.”

Jennifer Tujag, chief scientist at the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) in Washington, D.C., who was not involved in the study, spoke to Fox News Digital about her reaction.

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“These results appear to be consistent with previous results epidemiological research “We found an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke associated with increased alcohol consumption,” she said.

“Heavy drinking is also associated with high blood pressure, which contributes to this type of stroke.”

According to the researchers, the heavy drinkers in the study had 70% more brain hemorrhages than the non-heavy drinkers. (St. Petersburg)

The authors noted that the study had several limitations, including its cross-sectional study design, meaning it looked at data from a single point in time rather than following people over a long period of time.

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Therefore, researchers cannot say for sure whether drinking caused the stroke or simply worsened the symptoms.

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Alcohol use was also self-reported, meaning people may have underestimated or overestimated how much they drank. I also had no idea about my lifelong drinking habits.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Distilled Spirits Council for comment.