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Doctors share alcohol recommendations for men vs women as guidance shifts

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Doctors share alcohol recommendations for men vs women as guidance shifts

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The new federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest simply limiting alcohol intake for better health.

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The shifted guidance challenges previous standards that listed moderate drinking limits — one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.

A standard drink is about 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor, according to experts.

HIGHER STROKE RISK LINKED TO CONSUMING CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL, STUDY FINDS

Heavy drinking is defined as four or more drinks per day for women and five or more drinks per day for men, per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Drinking this amount of alcohol within two hours is typically considered binge-drinking, which causes more than half of alcohol-related deaths in the U.S.

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Many patients may believe their heavy drinking is not a concern because they can “hold their liquor” — but having a high alcohol tolerance is a reason to worry, experts say. (iStock)

“It increases the risk of falls, burns, car crashes, memory blackouts, medication interactions, assaults, drownings and overdose deaths,” the group cautions on its website.

Many patients may believe their heavy drinking is not a concern because they can “hold their liquor,” but having a high alcohol tolerance is actually more of a reason to worry, the NIAAA mentioned.

Heavy drinking is defined as four or more drinks per day for women and five or more drinks per day for men.

“People with this trait tend to drink more and thus have an increased risk of alcohol-related problems,” the Institute stated. 

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“Patients who drink within the limits of the Dietary Guidelines, too, may be unaware that even if they don’t feel a ‘buzz,’ driving can be impaired.”

‘The less you drink, the better’

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said he agrees with the shifting guidelines because any set standard sends an “unintentional message that some amount of alcohol is safe.”

LITTLE-KNOWN PRESCRIPTION PILL IS HELPING AMERICANS DRINK LESS ALCOHOL

“Setting an arbitrary number doesn’t mean much, especially since people tend not to follow it anyway,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Not only that, but since alcohol is addictive, what starts out as one drink quickly becomes two … it is a social lubricant and there is a positive side, but it is also a toxin.”

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Siegel suggested that there should be further guidelines surrounding the risks alcohol poses for the liver and heart, in addition to the dangers of drinking while driving.

“The less you drink, the better,” he said. “Alcohol impairs judgment, may easily be mixed with other harmful drugs like cannabis, [and can] lead to severe and fatal car accidents.”

“Setting an arbitrary number doesn’t mean much, especially since people tend not to follow it anyway,” said a leading physician and medical analyst.  (iStock)

Isaac Dapkins, M.D., chief medical officer and designated institutional official for the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, noted the importance of limiting alcohol.

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“No one should start drinking — or keep drinking — because they think it’s good for them.”

While men and women differ depending on age, body size and other environmental factors, women’s bodies can metabolize less alcohol than men, the doctor told Fox News Digital. 

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In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Mark Hyman, co-founder of Function Health in California, highlighted how women are at an increased risk of developing certain cancers due to hormonal shifts.

Meanwhile, men may be more likely to binge-drink, the doctor noted, as just one heavy drinking episode could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

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Individuals should speak with a doctor about their personal drinking risk based on family history, a doctor suggests. (iStock)

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Consensus Report, which accompanied the new Dietary Guidelines, says that men and women who drink in moderation may have a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Hyman, however, disagrees with this. “There are no cardiovascular health benefits to drinking alcohol,” he said. “These assertions were based primarily on observational research, with a lot of confounding factors.”

The doctor added, “Less [alcohol] is better, and abstinence is best. No one should start drinking — or keep drinking — because they think it’s good for them.”

Know your risk

Dapkins recommends that individuals see their primary care doctor to discuss their personal risk.

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“There is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ status for most conditions,” he said. “There is so much new information discovered about how to characterize an individual’s risk based on family history, behaviors and current medical conditions.”

For anyone who has a personal history of tobacco use — or a family history of breast cancer, atrial fibrillation or substance abuse — Dapkins’ advice is to avoid alcohol.

“It is a social lubricant and there is a positive side, but it is also a toxin,” one doctor cautioned. (iStock)

“There is a significant association between alcohol intake and atrial fibrillation (or A. Fib.), high blood pressure, and breast, mouth and throat cancers,” he cautioned. “A. Fib. can cause a stroke and is directly associated with alcohol intake.”

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For those with no personal or family history, the concern would be less, according to Dapkins. “If you choose to drink moderately, your doctor may be able to detect health conditions early to reduce your risk,” he went on. “The best option is to have a trusted clinician with whom you maintain a long relationship.”

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Amanda Berger, Ph.D., senior vice president for science and research at the Distilled Spirits Council in Washington, D.C., noted that for most adults, research shows “moderate alcohol consumption can be part of an enjoyable adult lifestyle and carries little to no risk.”  

“However, there are some individuals who should avoid alcohol all together,” she said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We recommend that people talk to their health providers to help determine what is right for them, based on personal risk factors.”

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Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

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Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

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Simple measurements taken during routine blood pressure checks could predict dementia risk years before symptoms appear.

That’s according to new research presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Louisiana.

The findings draw on two studies led by researchers at Georgetown University, which suggest that monitoring how blood vessels age and stiffen over time can provide a window into future cognitive health.

LURKING DEMENTIA RISK EXPOSED BY BREAKTHROUGH TEST 25 YEARS BEFORE SYMPTOMS

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Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age, and half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (hypertension).

Scientists believe that efforts to better address hypertension, a key contributor to heart disease and a risk factor for dementia, could affect both cardiac and brain health.

Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age. Meanwhile, half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. (iStock)

“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health,” Dr. Newton Nyirenda, the study’s lead author and an epidemiologist at Georgetown University in Washington, said in a press release.

The research focused on two metrics, the pulse pressure-heart rate index and estimated pulse wave velocity. Both were calculated using data collected during standard doctor visits, such as heart rate, age and blood pressure.

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“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health.”

Researchers examined five years of data patterns for more than 8,500 people in the SPRINT trial, a large study of adults 50 years and older with hypertension. In the follow-up, 323 of the participants developed probable dementia.

HIDDEN BRAIN CONDITION MAY QUADRUPLE DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS, STUDY SUGGESTS

In one study, the team found the pulse pressure-heart rate index was a strong independent predictor of dementia risk in adults over 50. For participants under 65, every one-unit increase was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia.

For participants under 65, an increase in the pulse pressure-heart rate index was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia. (iStock)

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The second study found that adults with consistently elevated or rapidly increasing pulse wave velocity were more likely to develop dementia than those with stable velocity, even after accounting for factors like smoking, gender and cardiovascular history.

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“Our findings suggest that vascular aging patterns may provide meaningful insight into future dementia risk,” said Nyirenda. “This reinforces the idea that managing vascular health earlier in life may influence long-term brain health.”

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The team emphasized that clinicians should tailor risk assessments and treatment strategies to the individual.

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Further studies are needed to confirm these parameters and determine whether changing vascular aging trajectories reduces dementia risk. (iStock)

“You don’t want to wait until a patient starts manifesting cognitive decline before you act,” said senior study author Sula Mazimba, an associate professor at the University of Virginia.

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Researchers noted the study could not establish causation. Other limitations included the fact that participants already had hypertension and elevated cardiovascular risk, meaning the findings may not apply to people without those conditions.

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Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether improving blood vessel health over time could reduce dementia risk.

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Everything You Need To Know About Zepbound for Weight Loss, Including Costs

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Everything You Need To Know About Zepbound for Weight Loss, Including Costs


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What Is Zepbound? Weight-Loss Benefits, Costs and Dosage




















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‘Gas station heroin’ banned in another state amid nationwide crackdowns

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‘Gas station heroin’ banned in another state amid nationwide crackdowns

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A dangerous substance dubbed “gas station heroin” continues to alarm medical professionals, with more states making moves to restrict or ban tianeptine.

Fourteen states have officially classified the tricyclic antidepressant as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Connecticut is the latest state to crack down, officially banning the sale and use of the substance starting on Wednesday.

HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE AVAILABLE IN STORES ACROSS THE NATION

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Tianeptine, which can produce euphoria in higher doses, can be more potent than morphine and addictive opioids, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Some countries have taken steps to restrict how tianeptine is prescribed or dispensed, and have even revised the labels to warn people of its potential addictive qualities.

Tianeptine can be more potent than morphine and addictive opioids. (iStock)

Misuse of tianeptine can cause severe adverse health effects, including respiratory depression, severe sedation and death, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Some companies market the drug as an aid for pain, anxiety and depression, or as a means of improving mental alertness in a pill, powder, salt or liquid form.

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The products are typically sold at convenience stores, gas stations, vape shops and online retailers, and go by names like Tianaa, ZaZa, Neptune’s Fix, Pegasus and TD Red.

Connecticut is the 15th state to classify tianeptine as a Schedule I controlled substance. (Markus Scholz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a press release that the schedule change is a necessary step to combat addiction.

“With false marketing that led consumers to believe these are safe products, and with candy-like flavor options, these substances posed a clear threat to those battling substance-use disorder and our youngest residents,” she added.

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The Nutmeg State also added Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), 7-hydroxymitragynine, Bromazolam, Flubromazolam, Nitazenes and Phenibut to the schedule classification.

Earlier this month, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary penned a letter sounding the alarm on what he called a “dangerous and growing health trend.”

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“I am very concerned,” Makary wrote. “I want the public to be especially aware of this dangerous product and the serious and continuing risk it poses to America’s youth.”

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New York-based Robert Schwaner, M.D., vice chair of system clinical affairs at Stony Brook Emergency Medicine, told Fox News Digital that the FDA has never approved tianeptine as a dietary supplement.

“As with heroin and other opioids, significant mu-opioid receptor stimulation ultimately results in a loss of respiratory drive and subsequent cardiac arrest.” (Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office)

“The euphoria at low doses is primarily due to increased serotonergic activity from its serotonin reuptake effects. With increasing doses, the mu-opioid receptor stimulation may become lethal,” said Schwaner. “As with heroin and other opioids, significant mu-opioid receptor stimulation ultimately results in a loss of respiratory drive and subsequent cardiac arrest.”

Schwaner said he believes the substance requires national regulation due to its addictive qualities. 

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“Acting at the same receptor as opioids, tianeptine has the potential for an individual to develop tolerance, subsequent dependence and withdrawal from its use,” he cautioned.

Fox News Digital reached out to the FDA for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.

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