Many alcoholics reduce the amount of beer or wine that they drink as they grow older, which helps to reassure their friends and family. However, the findings of a new study suggest that this may not be enough to help them return to normal, healthy lifestyles, and that they may need to seek substance abuse treatment before they are able to quit their habit.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that, despite the fact that most alcoholics reduce their drinking over time, they infrequently bring their consumption down to the level of average adults.

Their findings also indicate that there may be far more people in the general population whose consumption of alcohol could qualify them for addiction treatment. However, the majority of the study's participants were not seeking counseling.

Researchers said that the take-home message of their study should be that the friends and family of heavy drinkers should remain watchful of their loved-ones' alcohol consumption and encourage them to seek substance abuse treatment if necessary.