A new study shows that moderate alcohol consumption among older adults can help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. German researchers followed nearly 3,000 people over the age of 75 in Germany for three years. No one was diagnosed with any type of dementia at the start of the study, and each subject (or in the case of serious or fatal cases, their physician, caregiver, or family member was interviewed) was evaluated at the beginning of the study, 18 months later, and at 3 years. At the end of the study, only 49 older adults had no data to analyze. The results of the study showed that those who drank 2-3 drinks per day had a 60% lower risk of developing dementia than those who never drank; during the 3-year follow-up period, 217 older adults were diagnosed with dementia, including 111 with Alzheimer’s disease, and the rate of dementia was 29% lower in those who drank than in those who never drank. Delving deeper into the Alzheimer’s data, the researchers found that drinkers were 42 percent less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the researchers did not have enough information to confirm the protective effect of alcohol consumption on specific types of dementia, such as vascular dementia, Parkinson’s-associated dementia, and Lewy body-type dementia. The study also found that the association was strongest among those who consumed two to three alcoholic drinks per day. The researchers concluded that there is a preventative effect regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed, however, this does not mean that the more you drink the better, and excessive alcohol consumption is not only bad for your health at any age, but long-term alcohol abuse can also lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Fourteen older adults in the study were diagnosed with alcohol-induced dementia. The point is, the researchers noted, that this study doesn’t mean that drinking can be liberalized, that excessive drinking still increases the risk of dementia, and that the best way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease is to maintain a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise.