Researchers at Rutgers University have reported that binge drinking can decrease the development of adult brain cells by as much as 40 percent. Whew! I sure am glad that I don't have a binge drinking problem.
Not so fast. Also included in the study is information about the thin line that tends to separate drinking in moderation from what many consider to be binge drinking.
It has long been accepted as truth that a couple glasses of wine each day are a good way to promote cardiovascular and brain health. However, lead author of the study, Megan Anderson, cautions "Moderate drinking can become binge drinking without the person realizing it. In the short term, there may not be any noticeable motor skills or overall functioning problems. But in the long term, this type of behavior could have an adverse effect on learning and memory."
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, men who drink 14 drinks a week and women who drink 7 are considered at-risk drinkers. While many people commonly assume that binge drinking is a strictly collegiate phenomenon, the statistics counter that assumption. According to the institute, 70 percent of binge drinking involved adults age 26 and older. "This research indicates that social or daily drinking may be more harmful to brain health than what is now believed by the general public."
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