For many people affected by MS, nutrition is an important topic. I recently spoke about the importance of diets at a patient event. In the subsequent Q&A session, I was (rightly) pointed out that I hadn’t mentioned a word about the positive or negative effects of alcohol. A good point, because I actually didn’t address it, even though the topic – not only for those affected by MS – is important. During the discussion round, I also noticed that there is a high interest, but also a high need for information.
Alcohol consumption is a solid part of our social culture. According to statistics, about 70% of Germans drink alcohol at least once a month. The stimulating and mood-enhancing effect of alcohol is appreciated, which is part of the customs in many regions of Germany and is also accepted at numerous social occasions.
In Germany, there is therefore a relatively permissive attitude towards alcohol, which often deceives about how dangerous alcohol can become with excessive consumption. Moreover, the step from low-risk consumption to risky consumption is not as large as some might think.
According to official recommendation, the limit for low-risk consumption is 12 grams of pure alcohol daily for women and 24 grams daily for men. Specifically, this means that low-risk alcohol use for women is no more than a small glass of beer (0.25 l) or a glass of wine/sparkling wine (0.1 l) per day – then the risk of health damage remains low. Men could theoretically consume twice the amount, but regardless of whether man or woman: on at least two days a week no alcohol should be drunk.
Not infrequently, individual consumption is higher – and then there is a risk of damaging one’s health through the harmful effects of alcohol (high blood pressure, vascular diseases, liver damage etc.). For those affected by MS, the negative effects are often even more severe. Alcohol is a neurotoxin, it damages nerve cells and reduces the performance and capacity of the brain. It is therefore quite logical that those affected by MS should pay attention to low-risk alcohol consumption.
But even small amounts of alcohol, which are generally not classified as harmful to health, can have a pronounced effect in those affected by MS if certain pre-existing conditions are present, and can affect balance or walking ability more than in non-affected individuals. If you have had such an experience, it is probably wisest to largely abstain from alcohol.
A problematic societal development is drinking to the point of intoxication – popularly referred to as “binge drinking” and particularly “popular” among teenagers and young adults, the age group to which many MS patients also belong. Even for a normal brain, intoxication is a major disaster (even if it only occurs occasionally) – millions of brain cells are destroyed. I don’t think I need to elaborate on the fact that this is a situation that someone affected by MS really doesn’t need.
The clear arguments regarding the harm of alcohol are often countered with the claim that alcohol supposedly has a medically protective effect, especially on cardiovascular diseases. One “should have a glass of wine per day for stroke or heart attack prevention”. Indeed, there are a number of scientific studies that support this view, but the situation is by no means as clear as it is sometimes communicated in public. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that the studies that were able to show a protective effect of low alcohol consumption were probably not properly adjusted. Ultimately, the “abstainers” always performed better in terms of health.
In summary, there is nothing wrong with an occasional glass of wine with a good meal or beer with football – for healthy people as well as for those affected by MS, low-risk alcohol consumption is neither harmful nor health-promoting, but acceptable. Nevertheless, MS patients should be aware that alcohol can have unpleasant effects on overall well-being in the case of individual pre-existing brain damage.
