People have been wondering if drinking alcohol can kill brain cells for years.
Some people believe that one beer can cause serious damage. So what’s the truth?
Can one beer really kill brain cells?
People who drink too much alcohol can damage their brain, but not because alcohol kills brain cells.
Alcohol damages dendrites, the ends of brain cells that look similar to branches.
Dendrites help neurons communicate with each other. If dendrites are not working well, it causes problems with thinking and learning.
Alcoholics can develop Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. This syndrome causes brain cells to die. But it is not because of alcohol. It’s because of a lack of thiamine.
Alcoholics are lacking in thiamine because alcohol consumption prevents the body from absorbing this nutrient.
So, drinking alcohol does not kill brain cells. Because the amount of alcohol needed to kill one brain cell will also kill you.
