As always, there is contradictory evidence, from a cohort study that looked at the drinking habits of 9,000 mainly middle-aged civil servants, and followed them for 23 years. It showed that low levels of alcohol consumption – that is between 1 and 14 units a week – reduced the risk of dementia. In fact, it appears that being teetotal may raise your risk of dementia – though drinking more than 14 units does too.
