American neurologist Dr Richard Restak revealed that drinking alcohol in your twilight years may not be the best decision as alcohol can alter the impact of our nerve cells, also known as neurons.

In his book, The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind, Dr Restak explored the mystery of how memory works.

"Alcohol is a very, very weak neurotoxin – it's not good for nerve cells," he writes, adding that from the age of 65, your body has fewer neurons than before.

"It is essential to abstain from alcohol at a stage in life where preserving neurons is crucial."

Recent studies suggest that we may only lose between two to four per cent of neurons across our lifetime.

However, protecting our ageing brains is still critical.

Dr Restak believes that people should start reducing their alcohol consumption around the age of 65 to completely cut it out by age 70.

"I strongly suggest that if you are 65 years old or older, that you completely and permanently eliminate alcohol from your diet," he writes.

Dr Restak urges people to consider cutting out alcohol from their diet to minimise the risk of developing dementia.

Data shared by Alzheimer's Society revealed that people who drank excessively were at a higher rate of developing the disease.