Alcohol News and Research

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Excessive alcohol consumption increases risk of certain cancers

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new chemical analysis method that has assisted researchers at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health, in demonstrating a potentially important chemical link between alcohol consumption and cancer.

11 Aug 2005

Hangover gene may be to blame for alcohol addiction

By studying the effects of alcohol on fruit flies, scientists have discovered a gene that could lead to alcohol addiction.

11 Aug 2005

Feeling depressed and fatigued does not increase a person's risk for cancer

...according to a new study. Severely exhausted people, however, do engage in behavior that is associated with a higher cancer risk.

8 Aug 2005

Walk to work and cut the risk of a stroke

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States, and now a new study from Finland is the first to find that an increase in physical activity during leisure time or commuting lowers the risk of any kind of stroke.

8 Aug 2005

Cognitive therapy can have a preventive effect for depression

Three years ago, Terry Tuton was laid off from his job as project manager at a large technology firm, leaving him limited insurance coverage at a time when he was suffering from overpowering feelings of hopelessness and depression - and not for the first time in his life.

4 Aug 2005

High levels of physical activity can reduce your risk of stroke

High levels of physical activity, such as running, swimming or heavy gardening during leisure time can reduce your risk of stroke, according to a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. In addition, walking or biking to and from work for up to 29 minutes a day may also reduce the risk of strokes caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke).

4 Aug 2005

Drinking in moderation boosts brainpower

In news guaranteed to prompt more than a few toasts down the pub, Aussie researchers are saying that among those who enjoy a bevy or two, moderate drinkers are better thinkers than teetotallers or those who overindulge.

4 Aug 2005

NicStic - world's first smokeless and tobacco-free cigarette to go on sale

According to Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, the NicStic is not a medicinal product and the way has been cleared for its commercial production.

4 Aug 2005

Mixing slow-release painkillers with alcohol - potentially deadly

Health Canada has issued a warning that mixing some slow-release painkillers with alcohol could be potentially deadly.

4 Aug 2005

Alcohol linked to an increased risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer

Researchers looking for the potential biochemical basis for this link have focused on acetaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen formed as the body metabolizes alcohol.

3 Aug 2005

Drug use among Indiana youth sees biggest drop in years

A new report on alcohol, tobacco and other drug use by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University Bloomington demonstrates a significant downward trend in youth drug use and includes the agency's first compilation of data concerning methamphetamine use and gambling by sixth- through 12th-grade students.

2 Aug 2005

Australia has the lowest rate of smoking in the world

...according to a new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study on Statistics in Drug Use in Australia 2004.

2 Aug 2005

Teen binge drinking out of control

Apparently teenagers in the UK have one of the highest rates of binge drinking in Europe.

2 Aug 2005

Pregnancy fears on drinking water byproducts may be overstated

Fears that chemical byproducts resulting from purifying drinking water with chlorine boost the chances that pregnant women will miscarry were not supported by the results of a major new study. If such threats exist at all, which is uncertain, they likely are modest, it concludes.

1 Aug 2005

Memory manipulation may lessen appeal of certain unhealthy treats

Most dieters know that the mind is a powerful force in the battle of the bulge; but a new study led by psychologist Elizabeth Loftus shows that the malleable nature of human memory might be used to help people avoid certain fattening foods.

1 Aug 2005

Acetaminophen, when taken as directed, is safe for patients with liver disease

Contrary to common perception, clinical data demonstrate that acetaminophen is an appropriate pain relief choice for patients with chronic liver disease. According to a systematic literature review of the data, which is published in the current issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics, there is no evidence that acetaminophen at therapeutic doses aggravates liver disease.

26 Jul 2005

Cancer survivors initiate diet, exercise, and other beneficial lifestyle changes following a cancer diagnosis

An analysis of more than 100 studies of cancer survivors shows that many survivors initiate diet, exercise, and other beneficial lifestyle changes following a cancer diagnosis, but that those who are male, older, and less educated are less likely to adopt such changes. The term "cancer survivor" refers to a person who has been diagnosed with cancer.

25 Jul 2005

Study offers a unique perspective on the beginnings of the alcohol experience and usage patterns of 12-year-olds

Clues looking into the root causes of alcoholism are emerging from new findings that center on the genetic patterns of young drinkers, with particular focus on why adolescents are more likely to drink large quantities of alcohol even if they need more alcohol to get the effects they desire.

25 Jul 2005

Nonsmokers report better health and fewer symptoms of depression than smokers

People who have successfully quit smoking cigarettes are more likely to have visited a trusted health care provider and to report good mental health than current smokers, according to a recent study.

25 Jul 2005

Less than 1 percent of health plan members are actually diagnosed with alcoholism or related disorders

Less than 1 percent of health plan members are actually diagnosed with alcoholism or related disorders, according to data from a national performance measurement project released today in New York City at the American Medical Association Media Briefing, Alcohol Dependence: From Science to Solutions.

24 Jul 2005