Drink Up — It May Help Your Memory

Published on September 30th, 2007

A beer bust for brain cells

Don’t Forget: Drink a Beer—Or Two—Daily!

You may be hard-pressed to recall events after a night of binge drinking, but a new report suggests that low to moderate alcohol consumption may actually enhance memory.

“There are human epidemiological data of others indicating that mild [to] moderate drinking may paradoxically improve cognition in people compared to abstention,” says Maggie Kalev, a research fellow in molecular medicine and pathology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and a co-author of an article in The Journal of Neuroscience describing results of a study she and other researchers performed on rats. “This is similar to a glass of wine protecting against heart disease, however the mechanism is different.”

According to Kalev, it is hard to relate the alcohol the rats consumed to human quantities, but “based on their blood alcohol levels, the 2.5 percent ethanol diet was equivalent to a level of consumption that does not exceed [the] legal driving limit. This may be approximately one to two drinks per day for some people or two to three for others, depending upon their size, metabolism or genetic background.”

43 users responded in " Drink Up — It May Help Your Memory "

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# 1 JR Todd said, on September 30th, 2007 at 7:55 am

Well, what do you know?! That must be why I’ve been making my own mead for years!

# 2 pedro said, on September 30th, 2007 at 8:03 am

And smoking just one or two cigars a day improves your lung capacity.

# 3 Iwanna Foamyone said, on September 30th, 2007 at 8:50 am

This message has been brought to you by Anheuser-Busch and it’s family of beers. Our new motto being “Improving your intelligence, one beer at a time”

# 4 Gary Marks said, on September 30th, 2007 at 9:23 am

Nice photo, Uncle Dave.
Thanks for the mammaries.

# 5 hhopper said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:01 am

Dave, the blond is delectable.

# 6 edwinrogers said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:13 am

Octoberfest in Munich. Tripped over a nudist sunbather in the park. Peace.

# 7 Mister Mustard said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:18 am

So. What’ll it be? Memory loss or cancer?

http://tinyurl.com/35aros

I guess we all have to go sometime.

# 8 NappyHeadedHo said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:28 am

I’d drink her bath water.

# 9 Jerk-Face said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:36 am

5. She’s the best of both worlds: The face of an angel with the breasts of a stripper!

# 10 Mister Mustard said, on September 30th, 2007 at 10:43 am

>>She’s the best of both worlds: The face of an angel with
>>the breasts of a stripper!

If you can get over the Bucky Beaver overbite….

# 11 moe29 said, on September 30th, 2007 at 11:16 am

she’s beautiful, she could overbite me ANYTIME!

# 12 Les said, on September 30th, 2007 at 11:36 am

She has an overbite?

# 13 Andy said, on September 30th, 2007 at 12:05 pm

This theory was already explained in full by Cliff Clavin years ago.

“A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. When the herd is hunted, the slow and weak at the back are killed first. The speed and health of the herd keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

“In the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as its slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. Naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first.

“In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

# 14 Mister Mustard said, on September 30th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

>>She has an overbite?

When your upper teeth extend an inch beyond your lower teeth, dental health professionals generally consider that an overbite. Great for gnawing down trees. Not so good for anything else.

# 15 ECA said, on September 30th, 2007 at 1:27 pm

13,
I could debate that…
I could say that different parts of your brain work at different speeds.
Such as those buffalo Running away…
I could suggest that IF parts of the brain SLOWED down, and grouped up, Better, they could WORK together to help those at the end…Increaseing the Strength of the Heard, by Number rather then health.

# 16 JoaoPT said, on September 30th, 2007 at 1:33 pm

(homer voice…) Hmmmmm… Jugs…

# 17 Lauren the Ghoti said, on September 30th, 2007 at 1:34 pm

Well, I – and quite a few others – would say they’re good for looking gorgeous, obviously…

A large percentage of absolute knockouts have such “imperfect” dentition. Seems strange that something that abnormal could have such attractive results, until you consider that the people who have defined buck teeth and overbites as “abnormal” are the ones who pull down six-figure incomes from “correcting” them.

I’m sure Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Penelope Cruz, Hilary Swank, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rachel Weisz, etc, etc, could all have their looks “improved” – they just don’t have it done, and thereby stay repulsive, because they’re all hooked on gnawing on tree trunks…

# 18 Gary Marks said, on September 30th, 2007 at 1:52 pm

#14 MM… “When your upper teeth extend an inch beyond your lower teeth, dental health professionals generally consider that an overbite.”

I believe Les’s point was that if she wore the same low cut top, even her dental health professional wouldn’t notice any overbite (which you’ve obviously exaggerated). You’re probably in a monogamous relationship which shields you from her “distractions”

#17 Lauren, to your list of “them that didn’t,” I would contrast someone who did — Jenna Elfman. She got caps a few years ago for a perfect smile, but IMO she now exudes less warmth and charm than when her teeth were noticeably imperfect. As a matter of fact, I even thought her smile used to be her best feature, but now she’s just another hot babe with a killer bod.

# 19 Duffman said, on September 30th, 2007 at 1:56 pm

Mister Mustard, you are clearly a dentist. Get back to doing what you do best. Selling unnecessary procedures to the stupid and insecure.

As cute as the blonde is, I would go for the one three back. Hot (from the little you can see of her) and getting the ale down as quickly she can. My type of girl.

# 20 Lauren the Ghoti said, on September 30th, 2007 at 2:03 pm

Another perfect example would be Jaclyn Smith. She used to have a noticeable gap front and center, and was exceptionally beautiful – then an orthodontist friend of her father’s talked her into “fixing” that gap. Before, she was a standout – after, she was just another pretty face like oh-so-many others.

She also started getting a lot less work shortly thereafter – could be just a coïncidence, but…

# 21 Mister Mustard said, on September 30th, 2007 at 2:32 pm

>>A large percentage of absolute knockouts have such
>>“imperfect” dentition.

I guess your “woman of a certain age” must have buck teeth too, huh Troutie?

# 22 doug said, on September 30th, 2007 at 2:51 pm

#16. (Homer voice) “Expand my brain, learning juice!”

and that blond is objectively, scientifically, mathematically-proven cute

# 23 JoaoPT said, on September 30th, 2007 at 3:30 pm

What’s with you “Amuricans” and the teeth thing?

Sheesh…
So orally fixated…

# 24 tallwookie said, on September 30th, 2007 at 4:46 pm

#23 – yeah i dunno… I guess its to hide the inbreeding

# 25 Joshua said, on September 30th, 2007 at 5:13 pm

She can’t be European, she has beautiful teeth.

I think I’ll be jingoistic for a moment. Tallwookie….maybe the pipsqueak country you come from might benifit from some inbreeding…..then they could accomplish as much as the US has, in as short a time as the US. (in all perfect socities there are bleeps….ours happens to be President)

# 26 Al Cole said, on September 30th, 2007 at 5:48 pm

Me. I’d take all three home and pray to god that I’d remember it the next day!

# 27 Julian said, on September 30th, 2007 at 5:51 pm

Trust New Zealand to prove that drinking is good for your, we have one of the highest litre’s of alcohol consumed per capital in the world lol

# 28 Mr. Fusion said, on September 30th, 2007 at 6:31 pm

alcoholic beverages have been listed as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in its “Report on Carcinogens” 9th edition.
The “Report” states that consumption of alcoholic beverages is causally related to cancers of the mouth pharynx larynx and esophagus and that studies indicate that the risk is most pronounced among smokers and at the highest levels of consumption.

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/cancer/a/aa000520.htm

Women who drink run the risk of getting breast cancer and that risk is directly related to the amount of alcohol they consume
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/cancer/a/aa000921a.htm

the risk of breast cancer increases as the amount of alcohol consumed increases. In a recent summary of 63 published studies, 65% reported that consuming alcohol was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/FactSheet/Diet/fs13.alcohol.cfm

Alcohol may be good for your heart in moderation, but drinking as little as half a glass of wine a day may raise a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, a new study shows.
(WebMD)
http://tinyurl.com/ysevad

there is convincing evidence that alcohol increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. The risk of upper respiratory tract cancer is greatly increased if drinkers also smoke. Alcohol also increase the risk of liver cancer and probably increases the risk for colon, rectal and breast cancer.
http://www.healthcastle.com/alcoholandcancer.shtml

So everyone, drink up. Enjoy your suds. If it does make you a little smarter, then you might get more frequent checkups.

# 29 Lauren the Ghoti said, on September 30th, 2007 at 6:52 pm

Here’s that recap, Fusion:

If you eat / drink / breathe various things you will certainly die.

If you do NOT eat / drink / breathe various things you will certainly die.

Therefore, you will certainly die.

The only question remaining is, before you die, which you’re going to do anyway – are you going to live?

# 30 doug said, on September 30th, 2007 at 7:38 pm

#29. all I gotta say is this:

Dubya is a tee-totaler, and it ain’t made him any smarter. and he, like all of us, will one day die.

so pass the suds. preferably a huge glass stein of Spaten, handed to me by that smiling blond.

like you said, ya gotta live.

# 31 Mister Mustard said, on September 30th, 2007 at 8:51 pm

>>Mister Mustard, you are clearly a dentist.

**BWAAAAAAP!!!**

Wrong. I just like my women WITHOUT big horse-teeth that look like they could crush an apple in one bite. Unless it’s Sarah Silverman.

# 32 OvenMaster said, on September 30th, 2007 at 8:58 pm

Another overbiter (and from Deutschland, no less): Claudia Schffer. Rroowwrrr!

Is it my imagination, but does the girl in the middle have a bit of some resemblance to Jennifer Garner?

# 33 OvenMaster said, on September 30th, 2007 at 8:59 pm

Oops. +”i”. “Schiffer”, not “Schffer”. Too many beers, I guess. *hic*

# 34 Sue said, on September 30th, 2007 at 11:05 pm

And also smoking just one or two cigars a day improves your lung capacity and memory.

# 35 Christopher Jones said, on October 1st, 2007 at 5:09 am

America originated from drunkards. The voyage that defined America to be were the founders on the Mayflower. On that long arduous trip, the passengers and crew consumed a gallon of beer a day per person, including infants. This was done because water was no safe to drink. Also, 50% of the Mayflower came for religious freedom, and the other half for economic prosperity. Today, we are still split that way, and again beer bonds us.

Here’s a Bud for you.

Cheers!

# 36 Improbus said, on October 1st, 2007 at 6:08 am

I think I may need to explore my German heritage. I am thinking Oktoberfest next year, yah! One of my friends actually married a “nice” girl from Austria.

# 37 Mr. Fusion said, on October 1st, 2007 at 6:08 am

#29, Lauren,

The only question remaining is, before you die, which you’re going to do anyway – are you going to live?

The secondary question, would be “How long and with what kind of health will you live”.

Just because you plan on dying some day, do you not look both ways before crossing a street? Are you not the lest bit careful about ensuring your gun is unloaded before cleaning it? Do you ever check for mold on leftovers before digging in?

So I guess the next question might be, “Would you prefer to die from a heart attack or throat cancer?”.

# 38 Nicky said, on October 1st, 2007 at 6:49 am

The only think to fear, is running out of beer!

# 39 Lauren the Ghoti said, on October 1st, 2007 at 7:13 am

There’s a bright line, Fusion, between well-advised caution and all-pervasive dread of just about everything.

Statistics abuse has gotten us to the second state. In the wrong hands – that is to say, of the average citizen – statistics paint a dire picture, since that average citizen is an exceedingly poor judge of risk, not realizing which risk factors truly are applicable to his circumstances, and which are no more than remote theoretical possibilities.

# 40 Rabble Rouser said, on October 1st, 2007 at 7:44 am

Sorry to disillusion some of you, but the ale that was being drunk on the Mayflower was not Budweiser. It wasn’t a lager either. Lagers didn’t become popular until the 1850s. Besides, it wouldn’t have made the trip. Stronger ales were the “beer of the day.” They were higher in alcohol content, and higher in malt content, and the hops were introduced to help long term storage, which was also assisted by the higher alcohol content.

Ale is liquid bread. Ale contains many nutrients, as well as anti-oxidants that are beneficial. There are some theories that large farming of grain was done to produce ales in Egypt, and making this ale, helped to keep a surplus of food on hand for the months when there was a drought.

I, too make my own mead, as well as hard cider, and ale. It’s gotten to the point that I drink what I make, and only drink beer if I know who brewed it… Personally. As former VP of the local homebrew club, I have met many brewers, so this is not much of a problem.

# 41 iGlobalWarmer said, on October 1st, 2007 at 7:57 am

Beer.
It’s not just for breakfast any more.

# 42 Mister Mustard said, on October 1st, 2007 at 12:37 pm

I still say the girl flashing her jubblies with the buck teeth needs to visit a dentist. I wouldn’t let her around MY bits with a dangerous-looking mouth like that.

Besides, her nose is somewhat porcine. Oink! Oink!

# 43 maveriCk73 said, on October 1st, 2007 at 12:56 pm

Teets ! I said look at her teets. Not teeth you moron.

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