Leading preventive neurologist Dr. David Dodick joins the show to unpack what alcohol is really doing inside the body. We dive into how it affects the brain, why it’s linked to an increased cancer risk, how it influences the immune system, and what makes alcohol especially impactful for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

If you’ve ever wondered what alcohol use might mean for your long-term health, this conversation is for you.

Special thanks to Antonia Lyons

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Office of the Surgeon General: Alcohol and Cancer Risk

Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission

Women's alcohol use in mid-life: Identifying associations between menopause symptoms, drinking behavior, and mental health

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decoding Alcohol with Dr. David Dodick