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Adolescent binge drinking causes lasting changes in brain function

New research from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine provides insight into how binge alcohol exposure during adolescence may cause lasting changes in brain function that persist into adulthood, potentially identifying a new target for future treatment approaches.

1 Sep 2026

What decades of wine research can, and cannot, tell us about health

A narrative review found that moderate wine intake has repeatedly been associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with proposed mechanisms involving ethanol and grape-derived polyphenols, but the evidence remains largely observational and cannot establish causation. The authors argue that drinking pattern, beverage type, age, cancer risk, and risk-modeling choices all influence how the J-shaped association should be interpreted and how alcohol guidelines are developed.

25 Aug 2026

Meat, stress and risk-taking: what 38 experiments reveal about masculinity threat

Experimental evidence suggests that masculinity threat can push some men toward health-risk behaviors, with the clearest and most consistent effects seen in meat-related food choices. Across 38 experiments, effects on stress, fitness, risk-taking, and relationships were mixed or limited, while individual beliefs about masculinity shaped how men responded.

14 Aug 2026

Alcohol use during pregnancy increased in the United States from 2011 through 2024

Prenatal alcohol exposure-a contributor to adverse pregnancy outcomes and the leading preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disability worldwide-has increased in the United States over the past decade.

27 Jul 2026

Study links GLP-1 treatment to fewer alcohol drinking days

Current GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions were associated with modestly lower AUDIT-C scores in a large, diverse US cohort. The difference appeared to reflect less frequent drinking rather than fewer drinks per occasion or fewer binge-drinking episodes.

13 Jul 2026

One drink a day may be the new upper limit for safer alcohol guidance

A US cause-specific modeling study found no net protective health effect from low-level alcohol consumption, with lifetime alcohol-attributable mortality risk rising above 1 in 1,000 at just over 6.5 drinks per week for males and 7.0 drinks per week for females.

11 Jun 2026

New protocol prevents heavy alcohol relapse after liver transplantation

In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.

3 Jun 2026

Survey reveals critical knowledge gaps in maternal health recommendations

Most Americans know that how well a mother takes care of herself before and during pregnancy affects the health of a baby, but many people remain unclear about some specific maternal health recommendations, including when to start avoiding alcohol, according to a new nationally representative survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

29 May 2026

Teen smoking risks vary between disadvantaged rural and urban communities

Teens in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to smoke, but it depends on whether they live in rural or urban areas.

13 May 2026

Combining cannabis edibles and alcohol significantly increases driving impairment

In a study supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers added to evidence that using cannabis edibles and alcohol together worsens driving impairment compared with consuming either substance alone.

4 May 2026

Self-employment linked to lower heart disease risks in Hispanic women

Self-employed Hispanic women report less high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, poor health and binge drinking compared to Hispanic women working for salary or wages, new research suggests.

8 Apr 2026

Semaglutide for weight loss was linked to a sharp drop in alcohol use in this case report

A 2026 case report describes a 34-year-old man with obesity and alcohol use disorder whose semaglutide treatment for weight loss was associated with a marked drop in drinking over 10 months, with his AUDIT score falling from 27 to 7 and alcohol use dropping from about 15 drinks per week to half a beer per month. The authors frame this as a promising but preliminary finding that adds to growing evidence on GLP-1 drugs and alcohol use, while also stressing that this was a single case and that better AUD screening in family medicine remains important.

2 Apr 2026

Legal sports betting may raise risky alcohol use among young men

A new study in Health Economics indicates that the rapid expansion of online sports betting in the US may be increasing risky alcohol consumption among young men.

11 Mar 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

Eating melatonin-rich foods is linked to lower obesity and depression rates

This cross-sectional analysis of 8,320 Brazilian adults quantified melatonin intake from habitual diets and examined associations with multiple chronic health outcomes. Higher dietary melatonin intake was inversely associated with obesity and depression in a non-linear pattern, with no significant associations observed for other conditions.

28 Jan 2026