Two Small Alcoholic Drinks A Day Is All Your Brain Needs To Clear Toxins, Including Those Associated With Alzheimer's

Here's another good reason why you should look forward to downing those couple of glasses of alcohol after a long busy day of work.?

A recent research suggest that consuming low levels of alcohol may reduce inflammation and help your brain clear away toxins, including those associated with Alzheimer's disease.?

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While excessive consumption of alcohol is a well-documented health hazard, the new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, points to the health benefits of low doses of alcohol.

"Prolonged intake of excessive amounts of ethanol is known to have adverse effects on the central nervous system," said lead author of the study Maiken Nedergaard from the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) in the US.

"However, in this study we have shown for the first time that low doses of alcohol are potentially beneficial to brain health, namely it improves the brain's ability to remove waste," Nedergaard said.

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This finding adds to the previous body of research that points towards the health benefits of consuming alcohol in small doses.?

"Studies have shown that low-to-moderate alcohol intake is associated with a lesser risk of dementia, while heavy drinking for many years confers an increased risk of cognitive decline. This study may help explain why this occurs. Specifically, low doses of alcohol appear to improve overall brain health."

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Although the coauthors for this study are from URMC and the University of Copenhagen the funding for this research came from the Department of Navy's Office of Naval Research, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the National Institute on Aging.