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Neurologist Richard Restak, former president of the American Neuropsychiatry Association, warns that alcohol consumption should be eliminated by people over 65 because the aging brain has fewer neurons and less ability to absorb the damage from a substance he classifies as a neurotoxin, and data from the WHO and the National Institute on Aging reinforce that alcohol becomes more dangerous with age
The neurologist Richard Restak, neuropsychiatrist and former president of the American Neuropsychiatry Association, has issued a warning that many people over 65 do not want to hear: there is a daily habit he recommends completely eliminating from their routine. It is not sugar, it is not sedentary behavior, it is not screen time. The neurologist Richard Restak is talking about alcohol, which he classifies as a neurotoxin that damages nerve cells and becomes especially dangerous for a brain that is already aging.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the logic is straightforward: as the brain ages, the number of neurons naturally decreases. Each unnecessary damage reduces a reserve that is already limited. The neurologist Richard Restak argues that that glass of wine that seemed harmless at 40 can mean confusion, falls, and accelerated memory loss after 65. And data from organizations like the U.S. National Institute on Aging and the World Health Organization reinforce that the body reacts to alcohol differently with age, making each dose more impactful than it was before.
What neurologist Richard Restak says about alcohol and the aging brain
In an interview published in The Guardian, neurologist Richard Restak was categorical: “Alcohol is a very, very weak neurotoxin. It does not do good to nerve cells.” The phrase may seem moderate by the choice of the word “weak,” but the context makes it alarming.
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A weak neurotoxin applied repeatedly over the years to a brain that is already losing neurons due to natural aging creates a cumulative effect that accelerates cognitive decline.
Neurologist Richard Restak explains that older people generally have fewer neurons than when they were younger, which means the brain has less margin to absorb damage. The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism confirms that older adults become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol on balance, attention, judgment, sleep, and memory.
In practice, this means that the same amount of alcohol that did not cause noticeable effects at 45 can cause confusion, imbalance, and significant memory lapses after 65.
When forgetfulness is normal and when it is a warning sign
Not all forgetfulness is a cause for concern. Neurologist Richard Restak differentiates common lapses from signs that deserve investigation. Forgetting why you entered a room, blanking on someone’s name, or losing track of where you parked are attention failures, not illness.
The brain simply did not store the information correctly because attention was divided at the moment the data should have been recorded. This happens at any age.
Worrisome signs are different. Neurologist Richard Restak cites as an example finding car keys inside the refrigerator, something that suggests disorientation, not distraction.
The World Health Organization lists early signs of dementia as getting lost in familiar places, having difficulty following conversations, losing track of time, and having trouble with routine tasks.
It is at this point that the difference between normal forgetfulness and cognitive decline becomes crucial, and it is also where alcohol may be accelerating a process that is already concerning.
What science says about reducing the risk of cognitive decline after 65
Neurologist Richard Restak does not only talk about what to eliminate but also about what to maintain and reinforce.
There is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, but the World Health Organization lists measures that reduce the risk: maintaining regular physical activity, not smoking, eating well, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, and avoiding harmful alcohol consumption.
None of these measures are magic, but they are the clearest risk factors that people can modify.
A 2024 study funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging and published in JAMA Neurology reinforces this view.
The research, conducted by Rush University Medical Center, found that healthier lifestyle indices were associated with better cognitive function in older adults, even among those whose brains already showed common changes related to dementia.
Neurologist Richard Restak compares prevention to wearing a seatbelt: it does not guarantee that nothing will happen, but it greatly reduces the risk.
The simple habit that neurologist Richard Restak recommends to exercise memory
In addition to eliminating alcohol, neurologist Richard Restak recommends a habit that seems simple but has a direct impact on memory health: continue reading.
Following characters, plots, and details of a narrative provides constant exercise for working memory, the type of memory that allows keeping information active while the brain processes it.
What is often overlooked is that sleep, hearing, and vision also directly affect cognitive ability. When these supports diminish, people withdraw from conversations and hobbies, and the brain becomes less active.
For neurologist Richard Restak, protecting memory after 65 does not require any revolutionary treatment: it requires eliminating what harms, like alcohol, and maintaining what strengthens, like reading, sleep, physical activity, and meaningful social engagement.
The alert that can save your memory if you act now
Neurologist Richard Restak is clear: alcohol is a neurotoxin that damages nerve cells, and the aging brain has no reserve to absorb this repeated damage.
His recommendation for people over 65 is to eliminate alcohol completely, continue reading, keep the body active, and not ignore signs of forgetfulness that go beyond normal distraction.
Data from the WHO, the National Institute on Aging, and JAMA Neurology converge in the same direction: healthy lifestyle habits can protect cognition even when the brain already shows signs of aging.
Did you know that alcohol becomes more dangerous for the brain after 65? Do you agree with neurologist Richard Restak that it is better to eliminate it completely? Or do you think a moderate dose is harmless? Leave your thoughts in the comments and share this article with those who need to rethink this habit.
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