Alcohol News and Research

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Light-activated coating kills bacteria and viruses

Light on – bacteria dead. Disinfecting surfaces could be as simple as that. To turn this idea into a weapon against antibiotic-resistant germs, Empa researchers are developing a coating whose germicidal effect can be activated by infrared light.

18 Sep 2025

New study reveals a 25-year rise in alcohol-induced mortality

In an analysis by race, sex, age, and geography, alcohol-induced death rates in 2024 are nearly double those in 1999, with a sharp increase at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

18 Sep 2025

Low dose of aspirin cuts recurrence risk in colorectal cancer with genetic mutation

A Swedish-led research team at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital has shown in a new randomized clinical trial that a low dose of the well-known medicine aspirin halves the risk of recurrence after surgery in patients with colon and rectal cancer with a certain type of genetic alteration in the tumor.

17 Sep 2025

GLP-1RAs linked to lower risk of mortality and cardiovascular events in psoriasis patients

Psoriasis patients treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) face a 78% lower risk of death and a 44% lower risk of major cardiovascular events compared to those taking other diabetes or weight-loss medications, new research has shown.

17 Sep 2025

Soap shortages undermine global hand hygiene efforts

A lack of soap is the most often reported barrier to effective hand hygiene-key to curbing the spread of infection-in shared community spaces, such as households, schools, and public places, finds a systematic review of the available research, published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

17 Sep 2025

Study reveals unequal burden of the fentanyl epidemic across the United States

A new study illuminates how some areas of the country have been hit much harder than others by the fentanyl epidemic, which took more than 70,800 lives in 2022 alone.

17 Sep 2025

Can changing food texture reduce how much we eat? Dutch study investigates

A new randomized controlled trial protocol from the Netherlands will test whether altering the texture, and thus the eating rate, of ultra-processed foods can reduce daily energy intake. The study will investigate how sensory properties, such as food hardness, affect metabolism, appetite, and microbiome composition.

16 Sep 2025

Lifestyle changes show promise in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease

An estimated 7.2 million Americans over age 65 currently live with Alzheimer's disease (AD). That number is expected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060.

16 Sep 2025

Daily meal timing influences longevity risk in adults, study reveals

Researchers analysing Aging Cell data from over 33,000 US adults found a U-shaped link between daily eating window length and mortality. Eating for 11–12 hours per day was tied to the lowest risk, while very short (<8h) or long (≥15h) windows raised death risk, especially in older and White participants.

15 Sep 2025

Cannabis use may quadruple the risk of developing diabetes

Cannabis use is linked to an almost quadrupling in the risk of developing diabetes, according to an analysis of real-world data from over 4 million adults, being presented at this year's Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15-19 Sept).

15 Sep 2025

Why are more older people dying after falls?

For a while, walking the dog felt hazardous. Earl Vickers was accustomed to taking Molly, his shepherd-boxer-something-else mix, for strolls on the beach or around his neighborhood in Seaside, California. A few years ago, though, he started to experience problems staying upright.

15 Sep 2025

How processed red meat might drive neurodegenerative diseases

The relationship between processed red meat and neurodegenerative diseases is complex, with potential risks and protective effects requiring more investigation.

15 Sep 2025

Genetic study shows dual GIPR/GLP1R action curbs binge alcohol use

Researchers used drug-target Mendelian randomization to test whether genetically proxied activation of GLP1R and GIPR influences alcohol-related behaviors. They found that GIPR, especially when combined with GLP1R, was linked to lower binge and heavy drinking, healthier food preferences, improved liver markers, and reduced coronary artery disease risk.

15 Sep 2025

Researchers reveal why global gains against chronic diseases are stalling

Researchers analysed mortality data from 185 countries and found that while global non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths before age 80 declined from 2010 to 2019, progress slowed compared to 2001–2010. Gains were mainly from drops in heart disease and stroke, but rising burdens from diabetes, cancers, and neuropsychiatric conditions stalled momentum.

15 Sep 2025

Automated AI analysis of mammogram images and age can predict cardiovascular disease risk

An AI algorithm based only on routine mammogram images plus age can predict a woman's risk of major cardiovascular disease as well as standard risk assessment methods, finds research published online in the journal Heart.

13 Sep 2025

Survey: Public support for MMR vaccine requirements in schools rises to 70%

Although Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on social media in April that the "most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine," in a CBS News interview that month he said, "The federal government's position, my position, is that people should get the measles vaccine, but the government should not be mandating it."

13 Sep 2025

Study identifies thalamic pathway that reinforces alcohol seeking in withdrawal

What compels someone to keep engaging in alcohol use, even if it damages their health, relationships and wellbeing? A new study from Scripps Research offers an important clue: a small midline brain region plays a key role in how animals learn to continue drinking to avoid the stress and misery of withdrawal.

13 Sep 2025

Genetic mutation in some East Asians linked to aldehyde storm and increased liver disease risk

Researchers have identified the mechanism by which a common genetic mutation increases liver disease risk. Their findings suggest that healthy choices, such as increasing antioxidants and limiting exposure to smoke, may reduce the risk of this disease.

13 Sep 2025

A surgical team was about to harvest this man’s organs — until his doctor intervened

Lying on top of an operating room table with his chest exposed, Larry Black Jr. was moments away from having his organs harvested when a doctor ran breathlessly into the room.

12 Sep 2025

Driving performance unaffected in regular cannabis users after 48 hours of abstinence

Scientists from the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that, in the largest such study to date, frequent cannabis users did not display impairments in driving performance after at least 48 hours of abstinence.

11 Sep 2025