Science Says: Wine Drinkers Have Smaller Brians Than Beer Drinkers

Scientists have discovered that drinking too much wine damages the brain more than beer or spirits.

In a new study, one area of the brains of wine drinkers was smaller than that of other people studied who drank different drinks in greater amounts.

The hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory, spatial tasks and many other functions, was more than 10 per cent smaller in those who drank wine than in those who drank beer.

In the study, alcohol alone may not account for the differences because the beer and spirit drinkers had greater lifetime consumption of alcohol; in the case of beer drinkers some had consumed twice as much alcohol as the wine lovers. One theory is that there may be something in beer that partially protects the brain from the damage caused by wine.

The researchers, from Germany’s Göttingen University, believe the findings may be linked to a compound in the blood called homocysteine, which other studies have shown is linked to higher risks of heart disease, strokes, brain atrophy and dementia.

Researchers found that beer drinkers had the lowest levels of the compound. One theory is that other ingredients of beer – B vitamins and folate – may break down homocysteine.

Related stuff:

1. New Study: High School Drinkers Become College Drinkers
According to a new study from the University of Maryland, the amount that a person drinks in High School is a strong indicator of the amount that they will drink in...
2. Decision 08: Beer vs. Wine
Beer drinkers appear more likely to vote for Sen. John McCain in November, while those who enjoy wine say they’re more likely to vote Democratic in the fall. Among...
3. Drink a Beer After You Work Out: It’s Healthy For You!
A new study suggests that having a beer after you exercise can help you recover even faster than water. This is the type of study that college students dream about, but...