# Does alcohol consumption really kill brain cells?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 25, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425 "2003-08-25T00:41:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425/21 "2003-08-26T20:43:04Z")

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Reading the articles it looks like the benefits/risks are still not particularly well-defined, IMO. I’d have a hard time drinking exactly 1 or 2 beers every darn day. Some days I have none, some days (now that it’s football season) I’ll have 6 or 8.

Wadda ya gonna do? Watch every darn thing you eat and drink? Where’s the fun in that???

* * *

Maybe I could be “Half again too bushy to be a VanDyke”?

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**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425/22 "2003-08-26T20:49:35Z")

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To repeat what **Qadgop the Mercotan** said, be sure to check for any interaction with ANY drugs you’re taking.

Also if you currently have any health problems for should check with your doctor to see if these conditions could be exacerbated by even a small but regular intake of alcohol.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425/23 "2003-08-26T22:42:08Z")

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The health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, while there, are definitely _over_stated in the media. If one wants to talk about relative benefits, moderate alcohol consumption’s benefit is less than one-tenth the benefit one gets from eating right and exercising regularly.

As for the curve of benefit of abstinence vs. moderate vs. heavy drinking, let us set the abstinent individual at zero. Drinking 1-2 glasses a day may raise the level to a benefit of 1, while drinking 3-4 quickly brings the benefit down below -1. Drink 5 to 6 alcoholic drinks a day and your benefit quickly goes down to -10 or lower.

Again, YMMV.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-consumption-really-kill-brain-cells/197425/24 "2003-08-26T22:45:01Z")

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Oh yeah, cite: [http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh24-1/05-11.pdf](http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh24-1/05-11.pdf)

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