Taking three units of alcohol daily can increase the probability of developing essential involuntary tremor by two times. This is according to a study that was published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Essential tremor is a neurological disorder that affects about 650,000 people in the United Kingdom and more than five million in the United States. The disorder is common in people aged 60 and older. What causes it is still unknown but experts believe it may result from the damage of certain brain cells that led to the disruption of signal transmission between the synapses.

This current study based its findings on assessments of neurological symptoms and lifetime alcohol intake in more than 3,000 respondents aged at least 65 years old. All the subjects were participants in a population survey concerning age-related conditions conducted in Central Spain. More than half of the respondents reported regular alcohol intake.

The first assessments were conducted between 1994 and 1995 and the second one three years later. 76 of the subjects were diagnosed with essential tremor. Those who were diagnosed with the disorder appeared to drink longer and more regularly than those who have not developed the tremor yet.

After considering other factors – i.e. lifetime cigarette smoking and the presence of depression – that may influence the study’s findings, the research team found that “those who drank at least three units a day more than doubled their risk of essential tremor.”

The risk is increased by 23% for every year of regular daily drinking added. This applied even to individuals who reportedly drank less than three units but still consumed alcohol on a regular basis. The increased risk is still apparent although not to the same extent as those who took in an average of three units.

Alcohol is considered a brain toxin that affects the cerebellum in particular. This part of the brain has been linked to the development of involuntary tremors. Interestingly, the substance has also been frequently used to relieve symptoms of diagnosed essential tremor. The new study found that increased alcohol intake may even aggravate the progression of the disorder rather than treat it.

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