Binge drinking on Super Bowl Sunday or other special occasions could put you at risk for a dangerous heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation (a-fib), even if you've never had it, researchers warn in a new study.

"Worldwide, alcohol is the most popularly consumed drug, and it now is clear that alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation," said senior au...

Here's a lesson many may have already learned over the past weekend: Don't count on ginseng, probiotics or any other so-called hangover cures.

No evidence suggests hangover cures work, according to British scientists who studied nearly two dozen trials of these cure products. Their review was published Dec. 31 in the journal Addiction.

"Our study has found that evidence on ...

Party people should think twice before relying on a fly-by-night remedy to cure the hangover they suffer from a New Year's Eve bender, warns an ER doc based in the Big Apple.

"There are a plethora of hangover products on the market that tout the ability to reduce the chances of or prevent a hangover altogether after a night of heavy drinking. But, in truth, the only proven way to prevent ...

It's clear that COVID-19 has killed many hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. Less clear is its impact on other health issues, which will be felt in the years to come.

Liver disease is projected to be one of those, with 8,000 additional deaths from

Like Mr. Grinch, heartburn can crush your holiday, but there are easy ways to prevent it.

"Heartburn is caused by acidic stomach content moving into the esophagus, or gullet, which is much less resistant to acid," said Dr. James East, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. "This results in irritation and damage to the lining of the esophagus, literally a burn, that caus...

There may be a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, with U.S. health officials reporting an "unprecedented" decline in teens' use of alcohol, marijuana, other illegal drugs and vaping.

"We have never seen such dramatic decreases in drug use among teens in just a one-year period," said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"These data are unpreced...

When someone says "I need a drink," it's usually because they've had a rough day. Now, new research suggests that stress is more likely to trigger heavy drinking in women than in men.

"Some people can intend to have one or two alcoholic beverages and stop drinking, but other people just keep going," said study leader Julie Patock-Peckham. She's head of the Social Addictions Impulse Lab at...

If you think you're fine to drive after drinking, there's a good chance you're wrong, new research shows.

The study found that despite being over the legal driving limit, half of the participants believed they were safe to drive.

The study included 90 volunteers, average age 24, in Germany who drank either wine or beer until they reached a maximum breath alcohol concentration (BrAC)...

Worried about climate change? You can do something about it every time you lift your fork, a new study suggests.

Folks can reduce their personal carbon footprint by eating less red meat, nibbling fewer sweets and cutting back on tea, coffee and booze, according to the findings.

"We all want to do our bit to help save the planet," said senior researcher Darren Greenwood, a senior lec...

Don't drive drunk. That's simple and obvious advice. And it appears ridesharing services are making it easier for people to take it.

In a new study that looked at Chicago data, more rideshare trips meant fewer alcohol-involved crashes.

"This study was designed to look specifically at drunk driver crashing," said study author Christopher Morrison.

"When there are more rideshare...

More older folks are winding up on liver transplant waiting lists than ever before, as obesity and alcoholism supersede hepatitis C as the main cause of liver failure in the United States.

The percentage of liver transplant candidates aged 65 or older rose from 9% in the early 2000s to 23% by 2020, researchers found. Most seniors' liver failure is due to fatty liver disease, in which exce...

People suffering from dangerous abnormal heart rhythms can take matters into their own hands and figure out what is triggering their episodes, researchers report.

Folks with atrial fibrillation (a-fib) were able to reduce their episodes of the irregular heartbeat by 40% by identifying and then avoiding the substances or activities that caused their heart to go herky-jerky, according to fi...

Wine lovers, beer drinkers and those who enjoy a martini now and then have long been told that moderate drinking beats total abstinence.

Unfortunately, new German research is throwing some cold water on that advice, finding that premature death among non-drinkers is likely the result of unrelated health problems that have little to do with the decision to forgo Chardonnay or Tanqueray.

Demand for liver transplants among heavy drinking Americans surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows.

It found that the number of people with alcoholic hepatitis who received a new liver (32,320) or were put on a liver transplant waiting list (51,488) between March 2020 and January 2021 was 50% higher than what was expected based on pre-pandemic patterns, CNN report...

For those who smoke or drink, it's only a small step to marijuana, researchers report.

"Legal consumption of alcohol and tobacco may directly increase the level of illicit drug use. However, the relationships are complex," said researcher Dr. Zoe Reed. She is a senior research associate in the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

The...

Liver cancer is on the rise in rural America, but on a downswing in cities, new research shows.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer and the fastest-growing cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It's rising at an annual rate of nearly 6% in rural areas, approaching rates seen in cities, the study authors found.

"Considering that one in five A...

Even when genetics and personality are working against you, having a strong network of supportive friends and family may help lower alcoholism risk, researchers say.

"Genes play an important role in alcohol use," stressed Jinni Su, an assistant professor of psychology at Arizona State University in Tempe, and lead author of a new study.

But "genes are not our destiny," she added.

With Labor Day festivities approaching, you might want to think twice about that cocktail. Or at least you should avoid that second round, especially if you have a history of your heart beating irregularly.

A new study appears to confirm the existence of "holiday heart syndrome" -- a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (a-fib), after even moderate drinking.

While past studies have su...

Fully half of all young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also battle alcohol or drug abuse.

And folks with ADHD who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems, a new study showed.

"People with ADHD may be self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to keep their depression under control, and of course, th...

Americans did more drinking at home during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, which researchers say may be linked to a rise in domestic violence and other problems.

"Our results appear to substantiate an increase in home drinking during the period, which could potentially lead to higher alcohol consumption and alcohol-related adverse health outcomes," said study first author Dr...

The arteries of young people who drink stiffen sooner in their lives, which could increase their risk for heart disease and stroke later on, a British study reports.

People's arteries naturally become less elastic with age, but certain factors -- including alcohol and tobacco use -- can speed up the process. This study included more than 1,600 people in the United Kingdom. Their alcohol u...

Here's an unexpected silver lining to the pandemic: New research shows there was a decline in overall drinking and binge drinking among U.S. college freshmen during the early months of the new coronavirus' spread across America.

"We found that social factors, like social distancing and reductions in social support from friends, were associated with decreases in alcohol use among first-yea...

Black American liver transplant recipients have a lower survival rate than Hispanic or white patients, and a new study suggests that alcohol-related liver disease and insurance coverage are key reasons.

"Our findings are a huge wake-up call that physicians and other health care professionals need to do better in delivering equitable care," said study leader Dr. Brian Lee, a liver transpla...

Plenty of seniors may struggle with problem drinking, but a new study shows that less than half of them discuss their alcohol use with their health care providers.

"Older adults are at high risk for the harms of alcohol use, especially for those with existing chronic disease and who take prescribed medications," said lead study author Pia Mauro. That makes "discussions about alcohol with ...

Here's a reason to not feel guilty about drinking a glass of wine every evening: A new study suggests that people who drink moderately may have lower risks for both heart attack and stroke than teetotalers -- even when they have a history of heart issues.

The researchers found that among over 48,000 people with previous cardiovascular trouble, those who drank the equivalent of a single dr...

Let's not toast to this: Alcohol was linked with 740,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020, representing 4% of all newly diagnosed cases that year, researchers say.

"Trends suggest that although there is a decrease in alcohol consumption per person in many European countries, alcohol use is on the rise in Asian countries such as China and India, and in sub-Saharan Africa," said study co-a...