The truth about alcohol and your brain: Scientists put a number on the years heavy drinking takes off your life

Research continues to emerge showing that alcohol is bad for our health, increasing the risk of at least seven different types of cancer, disrupting sleep and hurting mental-wellbeing. Now, scientists have uncovered  the exact number of years drinking could cut from your lifespan—and how many drinks per week produce  the worst health outcomes. 

In a new study published in the journal Neurology, researchers found that heavy drinkers—those who had eight or more drinks per week—died 13 years earlier on average than non-drinkers.