There are a lot of news reports today touting champagne as a way to improve memory and prevent dementia but before you uncork the bubbly, there are some facts you should know, experts say.

The story, which has been picked up by new organizations around the world, originated in an article published by a UK newspaper under the headline “Drinking Three Glasses of Champagne Per Week Could Help Stave off Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.”

However, the NHS, which is England’s government-funded health agency, promptly issue a rebuttal, warning that the story is based on a 2013 study performed on a small group of rats, and it does not necessarily apply to humans.

The actual study, which was published in 2013, involved an experiment in which three groups of eight rats were each given for six weeks either champagne, a non-champagne alcoholic drink, or an alcohol-free drink. Their performance at finding treats in a maze was assessed before and after this period.

The main finding was that rats given champagne were better at remembering how to find the treat than those given the alcohol-free drink. They found the treats roughly five times out of eight, compared with four times out of eight in rats given the other drinks.

The researchers attributed the result to the possible effects of the phenolic acids found in champagne. Phenolic acids are similar to flavonoids, which are plant substances said to have antioxidant qualities.

“A slightly improved maze performance in a small number of rats does not necessarily translate into humans having a reduced risk of dementia from drinking champagne. The health risks of consuming large amounts of alcohol are well known,” the NHS says.

If people want to increase their intake of flavonoids, “there are far cheaper – and healthier – alternatives,” such as upping their intake of parsley, peanuts and blueberries,” the agency advised.