Alcohol News and Research

RSS

Poland's drug policy for seniors: Reduced costs, widened gaps, changed habits

In 2016, Poland introduced a nationwide policy eliminating all out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs prescribed by healthcare professionals to individuals aged 75 and older.

11 Feb 2026

South Asian adults in the U.S. have higher prevalence of risk factors for heart disease

South Asian adults in the U.S. report doing many of the right things for heart health, yet they show significantly higher rates of prediabetes, diabetes and hypertension than white and Chinese adults, and higher than or roughly similar rates to Black and Hispanic patients, according to a new study led by Northwestern Medicine.

11 Feb 2026

Review links betel nut addiction to cancer, heart disease, and metabolic risks

This review examines the epidemiology, health risks, neurobiological mechanisms, and emerging treatments related to betel nut addiction worldwide. It highlights strong links with oral cancer, cardiometabolic disease, and addiction pathways while noting limited established therapies and the need for coordinated public health strategies.

11 Feb 2026

Eating fewer foods of concern may protect the heart beyond pills

A prospective cohort study in adults with hypertension and or hypercholesterolemia found that lower intake of ultra processed foods or foods flagged by front of pack nutrition warnings was associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. These associations persisted regardless of cardioprotective medication use, suggesting dietary quality contributes independently to cardiovascular prevention.

10 Feb 2026

Brief oxidative stress promotes brain repair after injury

Oxidative stress is a direct consequence of an excess in the body of so-called "free radicals" – reactive, unstable molecules that contain oxygen.

10 Feb 2026

Football finals push devoted fans’ bodies into overdrive

The study examines football fever, highlighting how emotional engagement elevates heart rates and stress levels in devoted fans during matches.

10 Feb 2026

AI model accelerates antibody production and clone selection

As instigators of immunity, monoclonal antibodies are marvels of modern medicine, lab-made proteins that can treat cancers, autoimmune diseases, and many other conditions.

9 Feb 2026

Study reveals DNA methylation score that better detects alcohol intake than standard biomarkers

A Mediterranean cohort study evaluated a DNA methylation biomarker of alcohol intake and compared it with conventional indicators such as GGT. The epigenomic score correlated with alcohol exposure, linked to telomere shortening and epigenetic aging markers, but findings remain observational and population-specific.

9 Feb 2026

New analysis asks if alcohol guidance needs stronger trials to settle the health debate

The viewpoint reviews conflicting evidence on alcohol consumption, highlighting discrepancies between observational studies, genetic analyses, and public health guidance. It concludes that large randomized trials comparing alcohol moderation versus cessation are needed to clarify long-term health effects.

9 Feb 2026

Cannabis legalization linked to rising tobacco and cannabis co-use

The legalization of cannabis and the start of retail sales of the drug in the US are linked to both a rise in its recreational use and concurrent use of tobacco, as well as a fall in sole tobacco use, finds an analysis of health behavioral data, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

9 Feb 2026

Cannabis legalization may lead to a decline in daily opioid use

Legalizing cannabis for both medical and recreational use may lead to a decline in daily opioid use among people who inject drugs in the United States, according to a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher (BUSPH).

9 Feb 2026

Chronic alcohol use profoundly alters gene expression in the brain's reward system

Chronic alcohol consumption profoundly alters gene expression in key brain regions involved in reward, impulse control, and decision-making, according to a study led by researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences, a joint center of Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

9 Feb 2026

Late sleepers have higher heart risk, and it's mostly preventable

Researchers explore the association between an individual’s chronotype and cardiovascular risk.

9 Feb 2026

High-quality family dinners reduce teen substance use risk yet severe adversity blunts the benefit

Higher-quality family dinner interactions were associated with lower adolescent alcohol, vaping, and cannabis use in a U.S. survey of parent–adolescent dyads. This protective association was evident mainly among adolescents with low or moderate adverse childhood experiences, but not those with high adversity exposure.

8 Feb 2026