Alcohol Use and Abuse Increasing in the US. Rates of drinking and alcohol abuse are on the rise in the United States (US). An analysis of data has found that the rate of alcohol use in the US increased from 65% in 2001-2002 to nearly 73% by 2012-2013. Furthermore, the prevalence of alcoholism rose from…

Some Prostate Drugs May Cause Harm. A popular hormone-based medication for the treatment of an enlarged prostate may increase men’s risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and/or stroke. A review of records of 460 men treated for enlarged prostate at a single urologist’s office in Germany revealed that men taking the drug dutasteride for…

These Heartburn Meds May Shorten Your Life… Proton pump inhibitor medications used to treat heartburn may increase the risk of early death when taken for extended periods of time. Investigators compared the medical records of nearly 276,000 users of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) against those of about 73,000 people who took another class of heartburn…

Higher BMI Linked to Increased Risk Cardiometabolic Disease. In a study that included 119,859 participants, researchers examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and cardiometabolic disease traits and found a link between a higher BMI and an increased risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. The researchers note, “Body mass index…

Big Men More Prone to Aggressive Prostate Cancer. A new study suggests that both taller and heavier men have a greater risk of getting and dying from aggressive prostate cancer. An analysis of data concerning nearly 142,000 men indicates that for every additional four inches of height (10.16 cm), a man’s risk of being diagnosed…

People in nursing homes often suffer from health conditions that weaken their immune system, and they’re often on prolonged antibiotic use, which contributes to antibiotic-resistance. Because nursing home residents share many spaces and interact with one another, germs have a chance to move from person to person more easily. A research review of eight prior…

Election Results May Be Harmful to Health. In this study, researchers found that some individuals on the losing end of an election saw their mental and physical health start to sink under a wave of perceived threats and targeted hostility. More specifically, the research team found that unwelcomed election results can increase stress levels as…

More than one-third of Canadian high school students admit to riding with a driver who has been drinking alcohol. The study, which involved 24,650 students, also revealed that almost 20% of students said they’ve ridden with someone who’d recently used marijuana. Study author Dr. Leia Minaker notes the findings are concerning because a significant proportion…

Chronic kidney disease develops when the kidneys can no longer properly filter fluid and waste products from the blood. Kevin Longino, the CEO of the National Kidney Foundation, notes that about 96% of individuals with early kidney disease don’t know they have it and nearly 50% of those who have severely reduced kidney function and…

Sunscreen is key to protecting our skin from the damaging effects of the sun, but a new study suggests that using sunscreen could lead to vitamin D deficiency. In this study, researchers found that using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher could reduce the body’s vitamin D-3 production by 99%. Based on the…