Alcohol Research

Alcohol Consumption Increases Prostate Cancer Risk

After examining 27 studies, researchers in Canada and Australia have published a paper warning that alcohol consumption increases a person’s risk for prostate cancer. And while the research is not there to say that alcohol causes prostate cancer, there is a definite link between consumption and odds that someone will develop cancer of the prostate. This information, which is now being shared with the public, highlights the need for more studies involving alcohol and its link to different cancers in both males and females.

The researchers poured over several different studies and were able to determine that the more a man drinks the more likely they are to develop prostate cancer. Even men who drink about 2 alcoholic drinks a day are 8 to 23% more likely to have this type of cancer.

So, what exactly is the connection between alcohol and prostate cancer? Researchers are unable to answer this question and many have said that more funding needs to be allocated for further research into alcohol’s effects on cancer cells. Some have hypothesized that alcohol changes the DNA in the cell over time. And while the exact source of these cancers is unknown, it is clear that alcohol greatly increases the risks for obtaining prostate cancer, which is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in males.

“This new study contributes to the strengthening evidence that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer. Alcohol’s contribution to prostate cancer will need to be factored into future estimates of the global burden of disease,” explained Tim Stockwell, co-author of the study.

Over the last few years, researchers have found more and more evidence that alcohol greatly increases cancer risk in drinkers. This new analysis adds prostate cancer to mouth, stomach, esophagus, and liver cancers that drinkers are more likely to develop. Women drinkers are also at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. The toll that these cancers take on the patient, families and taxpayers is something that need to be explored further as well.

Alcohol Mixed With Energy Drinks Can Have Serious Effects on Developing Brains

One of the many dangerous new trends involving substance abuse among adolescents and young adults includes mixing alcohol and energy drinks that contain caffeine. This may not seem like that big of a deal at first, but new information reveals the effects are more severe than some might think. Researchers at Purdue University conducted a study that showed mixing alcohol and caffeinated beverages can alter the makeup of the developing brain.

Causing damage to a growing neural center has long lasting effects, the researchers also concluded that these adolescents and teenagers are more likely to develop problems with how they deal with rewarding substances as adults. This means that drug use or alcohol use may be a bit more difficult for them to stop or abstain from because their brains have been altered to demand more.

The latest study looked at the effects of drinks on adolescent mice. When the mice were given caffeine and alcohol combinations, researchers were able to observe that the brains of the mice reacted in the same way as when they were given cocaine. This link provided more insight into the dangers of these drink combinations. As the trials went on, the researchers were able to see an increase in certain brain proteins that indicate long-term changes to the neurochemistry of the brain.

“It seems like two substances together push them over a limit that causes changes in their behavior and changes the neurochemistry in their brains. We’re clearly seeing effects of the combined drinks that we would not see if drinking one or the other,” explained Richard van Rijn, an assistant professor at Purdue University.

Alcohol and caffeine combinations are a trend that have observable physical complications. And teenagers are prone to following trends. And while consuming these types of beverages does not ensure that addiction will take place, it is becoming more clear that consumption is likely to lead toward brain alterations that could have more severe effects down the road.

Small Sips of Alcohol Could Harm Children in the Future

Curiosity is arguably one of the best traits of a young child. They are interested in the world around them and are discovering things for the first time. So, when a parent is having a glass of wine and the child wants a sip, some parents do not see the harm in letting them have a taste. Parents want to be there when they experience alcohol for the first time and explain to them that it is a “grown up” drink, and the taste of alcohol is usually an acquired taste so having a child taste something that is bad to them may prevent them from drinking when they are in high school – at least that is the train of thought for some parents.

However, a study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, revealed that children who sipped alcohol before the sixth grade were five times more likely to drink a full alcoholic beverage by the time they get in high school. The study also showed that these children were four times more likely to binge drink, or drink with the intention of getting drunk. And while the researchers do not want parents to feel that they have made in irreversible mistake, they do want the information out there so parents can better educate children.

“I would say that it is advisable not to offer your child a sip of your beverage, as it may send the wrong message – younger teens and tweens may be unable to understand the difference between drinking a sip and drinking one or more drinks,” explained Kristina Jackson, one of the co-authors of the study.

Researchers were able to come to this conclusion after interviewing 561 middle schoolers in Rhode Island over a three-year period. About 1/3 of these students said they had tried alcohol before entering middle school. Most of these children said they received the alcohol from their parents.

Instead of allowing small children to sip alcohol, it is best for parents to explain what alcohol is and to refrain from allowing them to taste the beverage. While there are many types of influencers in a child’s life that may cause them to drink, early exposure does not have to be one of those reasons.

Reduction of Alcohol Availability Impacts Suicide Rates

Excessive alcohol consumption increases one’s chances of attempting or committing suicide. This is a statement that has been supported by studies going back to the seventies. It is likely that suicides and depression are influenced by alcohol intake because of the damage alcohol does to the brain. A person who is an alcoholic, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol daily, physically changes the shape and chemical makeup of their brain. This change can result to physical ailments, as well as emotional problems. While many studies have corroborated the link between alcohol and suicide, not many studies have examined the effects of alcohol restrictions on suicides.

Recently, a group of researchers set out to determine if areas with heavier alcohol tax, restrictions on the amount of alcohol in stores, or stricter driving under the influence laws had lower suicide rates. The answer was, yes – areas that make it more difficult to purchase alcohol, or get away with consuming excessive amounts, have less people committing suicide. The research did not specifically answer why this would be the case, but is likely that slight adjustments to make it more difficult to consume copious amounts of alcohol make it less likely that a person will get to the point of wanting to commit suicide.

“By making alcohol less available, it is possible to reduce the average risk of suicide, especially those where alcohol is involved. Departing from approaches that narrowly target members deemed at ‘high risk’ and that commonly address suicidal behaviors almost exclusively as problems of individuals, this population-based approach is likely to maximize public health benefit and to show long-lasting influence on reducing suicide,” explained the authors of the study.

Currently, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Cities throughout the country are constantly looking at how they can lower their suicide rate. Which is why this information is so critical. By curbing the access to alcohol, even slightly, thousands of lives can be saved. In fact, the data is even more compelling when you look outside of the United States. The same researchers looked at information gathered in other countries, and found similar results, highlighting the influence cities and town all over the world can have on suicide rates.

Study Shows Need for Increased Alcohol Education

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine revealed that more than two-thirds of college-aged women engaged in unprotected sex the last time they consumed alcohol. Despite wide public awareness that protection prevents the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, alcohol seems to lower inhibitions enough where a majority of women are making decisions they normally would not had they not consumed alcohol. Of course the fact that alcohol makes people do things they normally would not is not a new revelation. However, now that the study confirms that women are more at risk to contract sexually transmitted diseases and become pregnant, it appears that more education is necessary, for both sexes.

“Relative to older women, young women engage in an elevated rate of alcohol use and are at increased risk for adverse sexual health outcomes. Interventions that target beliefs around alcohol use, which could assist young women to increase condom usage, could show benefit in the reduction of HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections, as well as unintended pregnancies,” explained Jennifer Brown, PhD, and lead author of the study.

In order for researchers to come to this conclusion they gathered data from 287 women, all college-aged. The participants completed confidential surveys related to alcohol use, alcohol-related behaviors and behaviors related to sex. It was determined that it much more common for women to engage in sexual activities without a condom when they are under the influence of alcohol. When asked to expand on this, the majority of women stated that physical desires and tendency to engage in riskier situations while under the influence of alcohol played major roles in their decision making.

Of course, males are not exempt from the need to increase alcohol education. In fact, researchers believe that males and females would benefit greatly from increased awareness of common mistakes made under the influence of alcohol. Researchers are especially concerned because this age group commonly engages in alcohol use and overuse.

Alcohol May Be Related to Breathing Complications

Nitric oxide is a colorless gas produced by the body when we exhale. The gas is an important part of our body’s defense mechanism because it guards against many different kinds of bacteria, especially those that cause respiratory infections. And now a new study has been released that shows that alcohol may have an adverse effect on a person’s ability to produce nitric oxide.

The study was completed by researchers from Loyola Medicine and Loyola University Chicago. The team gathered information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health and Examination Survey. From this data, they were able to spot the first links between alcohol consumption and lack of nitric oxide production.

The researchers divided the information into groups based on alcohol consumption levels: people who never drank, those who rarely drank, those who drank excessively and those who used to drink excessively. From these groups, the researchers noted that excessive drinkers had the least amount of measurable nitric oxide, and that their levels decreased as their alcohol consumption increased. The researchers were also able to come to the conclusion that alcohol disrupts the healthy balance of the lungs.

Dr. Majid Afshar, the lead author of the study, also pointed out that these finding may be particularly interesting to people who suffer from asthma. Those that suffer from chronic respiratory infections and those that are classified as excessive drinkers may also benefit from the results of the study. The results were published in the Chest Journal.

The list of adverse effects of heavy alcohol consumption continues to grow, and Chicago-based researchers agree that more studies have to be completed to get a full picture. However, until this study was completed, the connection between alcohol and lack of nitric oxide was unknown and may now be able to provide medical professionals with answers to more questions relating to alcohol consumption.

Underage Females Now Consuming Alcohol Before Males

Breaking down misconceptions of alcohol use is an important factor in preventing future alcohol abuse problems. Underage drinking is societal problem that parents, law enforcement, healthcare providers and government officials have been battling for decades.

New research shows that teenage girls are now drinking earlier than teenage boys. This is the first time that the sexes have made this switch and it seems that adults are not far behind. Adult women are closing the gap with adult males in drinking frequency and amount.

According to researchers, underage drinking for females can be traced to a few different factors. Some experts are pointing their fingers at alcohol advertisers. There is an increase in fruity, sweet-tasting drinks available to consumers and teenage girls tend to gravitate towards these types of beverages. Additionally, drinking has become more accepted in society. In the past, males have consumed more and earlier in life, while girls stayed away from alcohol until they were older. Because of this, many programs and initiatives to curb underage drinking are geared towards boys instead of girls.

Testing and research measures that gauge drinking trends have also changed. Researchers have gotten more sophisticated with their testing questions and study groups. This has allowed the medical community to spot this change among teenagers.

“We found that over that period of time, differences in measures such as current drinking, number of drinking days per month, reaching criteria for an alcohol use disorder and driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year, al narrowed for females and males,” explained Aaron White, the study author and senior scientific advisor to the director of the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Since teenage drinking is more likely to lead to an adult drinking problem, it is imperative that stronger and more effective programs are developed to curb underage alcohol abuse. Additionally, equal attention should be given to educating both males and females, as indicated in the study that appeared in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The Danger of Mixing Alcohol and College Students

College is oftentimes a very exciting period in a young person’s life. This is likely the first time they are away from their parents for an extended amount of time, and they are able to make more decisions for themselves. There are hundreds, if not thousands of new people to meet and plenty of free time to make new experiences one would not necessarily have the opportunity to do if they stay at home.

Perhaps it is a combination of the above points that makes it more likely that college students will abuse alcohol, but regardless of the reason it is clear that college students continuously place themselves at risk for alcohol poisoning, risky sexual behavior and violence while under the influence of alcohol. They’re also potentially setting the building blocks for a long-term alcohol abuse or addiction problem in the future. In order to better understand why alcohol remains such a problem for college students, many researchers are working on studies and investigations into the life of a college student and how they can best be helped when it comes to making smarter decisions regarding alcohol consumption.

Studies have shown that at least 60% of college students have gotten drunk in the last thirty days. This large number certainly indicates that many students are not only able to purchase alcohol, despite being under the age limit, but they are also able to purchase enough that they can attain a feeling of being drunk. This is important because it has been found that alcohol causes around 1,800 deaths a year among college students.

Peer pressure and the college environment have also been noted as reasons why many students drink, as many become swept up in the “traditions” of Greek Life and other collegiate activities. Without the constant guidance of their parents or other responsible mentors, students will often make poor decisions when trying to fit in. This conformity often shows itself in drinking heavily.

In order to minimize the damage that alcohol can have on the developing brain and the effects that it can have on someone’s behavior and decision making process, further studies may reveal more adequate prevention measures.

Alcohol Misconceptions More Harmful to Some Groups

If time and research has told us anything, it’s that commonly held beliefs regarding alcohol and drug use are oftentimes untrue and damaging. For instance, many people believed that a glass of wine every day was healthy, however new research proves that a glass of wine a day is more harmful than it is beneficial. Another misconception that has proven to be false is that alcohol is less harmful than illicit street drugs. Medical professionals warn that the effects of a long term alcohol problem are extremely dangerous and can prove fatal. In the vein of debunking alcohol-related myths, one research team examined the common belief that Native Americans have a higher rate of alcohol consumption than other ethnicities, therefore leading to an increased threat of alcohol abuse.

Researchers at the University of Arizona got together and analyzed information from a survey of over 4,000 Native Americans and 170,000 Caucasians. And contrary to popular beliefs, Native Americans seem to consume alcohol at the same rates as white people, except for one instance. When it comes to which group is more likely to abstain from alcohol, Native Americans actually refrain from drinking more than white people refrain from drinking. The analysts noted that 17% of Native Americans reported binge drinking, this compares to the 17% of white people that admitted to binge drinking behaviors.

Unearthing the truth behind Native Americans drinking behaviors highlights an important point,
“…falsely stereotyping a group regrading alcohol can have its own unique consequences. For example, some employers might be reluctant to hire individuals from a group that has been stereotyped regarding alcohol. Patients from such a group, possibly wanting to avoid embarrassment, may be reluctant to discuss alcohol-related problems with their doctors,” explained James Cunningham, lead author of the study.

Perhaps the most important point to take away from this study is that there is a significant need for ongoing alcohol-related research and public education. United States residents are continuing to consume alcohol, some at alarming rates, and one way to combat against alcohol abuse problems is to educate.

Research Examines Link Between Alcohol and Domestic Violence

According to studies, almost twenty people are physically abused by their intimate partner every minute in the United States. In response to this statistic, researchers at the University of New Mexico are developing a study to determine what the relationship between alcohol consumption and domestic violence. Understanding this connection will better assist with intervention methods for people suffering from domestic violence and also for people suffering from an addiction to alcohol.

“We hope to learn why intimate partner violence (IPV) is more likely to occur when people are drinking alcohol. IPV is a serious public health problem, and we are hoping to identify new ways to intervene with this problem,” said Brandi Fink, assistant professor at the UNM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Researchers at the UNM are looking into several other studies that may explain why drinking and violence seem to go hand in hand. In addition to the investigation, researchers will also perform their own study that includes an experimental phase. Study subjects will consume alcohol while hooked up to a monitoring device as they are answering questions on the computer. The hope is that they will be able to identify if there are any mechanisms of the brain that are being affected by the alcohol that would also increase the likelihood of violence.

Other studies have shown that men who consume large amounts of alcohol are three times more likely to abuse their significant other, while women are eleven times more likely. Researchers also know that as each drink is consumed the risk for violence increases by 13 percent, and in some cases up to 70 percent if both partners are drinking. These statistics point to the severity of the problem and the need for further research. Additionally, children can be present in the home when alcohol is being consumed or when violence is taking place. Separate studies have proven the connection between parents behaviors and the behaviors of the child in the future. Understanding how to prevent IPV, especially when one or both of the parents are under the influence, is vital in maintaining a safe and healthy home life for the children.