One of the physical health consequences of ongoing heavy drinking is the development of acute alcoholic hepatitis. Hepatitis is a very serious form of liver disease, developed in response to overwhelming of the liver because of alcohol consumption. When extreme alcohol consumption becomes a chronic problem and continues over a period of three to six months, a person may develop the disease.

Excessive consumption of alcohol consumption can be defined as consuming about five or more drinks per day. When the individual has hepatitis, the symptoms are acute jaundice and liver failure. The conditions can sometimes result in a coma due to liver failure. The death rate is high for those who are diagnosed with acute alcoholic hepatitis, with about 40 to 45 percent of individuals dying within six months.

Traditionally, treatment has involved immediate abstinence from alcohol and using cortisone to fight the inflammation of the liver. Even with this treatment, however, about 30 percent of patients still die within six months of contracting the disease.

A recent study has tested a new combination medication treatment to determine whether the survival rate of acute alcoholic hepatitis could be improved. The researchers set out to battle the deficiency of antioxidants in the liver and the severe inflammation caused by the disease.

The study was led by Professor Nguyen-Khas from the Amiens University Hospital Centre and the Inserm research team with the objective of combining a treatment for antioxidant deficiency with the conventional treatment for inflammation.

The results of the trial show that there was a significantly improved survival rate observed for patients diagnosed with acute alcoholic hepatitis. The patients showed a significant improvement in death rates in the first month of treatment compared to the group receiving cortisone treatments only. The tolerance level for the drug combination was also very good.

The drug used was N-acetylcysteine, which is an economical medication and has long been used in the treatment of hepatitis resulting from drugs like paracetamol.

The study’s findings may give doctors a new tool to help their patients overcome the serious diagnosis of acute alcoholic hepatitis with a drug that could greatly improve their survival rate.

A new study provides evidence that the combination of these two behaviors associated with college can result in some dangerous scenarios. A new trend, called "drunkorexia," is the combination of restricting calories and drinking heavily.

The study, conducted at the University of Missouri, found that long-term health consequences are associated with the combination of the two behaviors. Led by Victoria Osborne, assistant professor of public health and social work, the researchers looked at how heavy drinking and disordered eating interacted.

The researchers discovered that 16 percent of participants indicated that they had a history of restricting calories in order to feel free to drink more. In addition, the team found that drunkorexia was much more common in women, with three times the number of females reporting the behavior than males.

When the researchers sought to understand the reasons for engaging in calorie restriction before drinking heavily, the women reported that they did it to avoid weight gain, to save money for alcohol that would otherwise go toward purchasing food, or to become drunk faster.

Osborne cautions that drunkorexia can be a serious problem, putting students at risk for serious immediate consequences, as well as the development of an eating disorder or a serious alcohol addiction.

While the restriction of calories can limit the necessary nutrition the body gets, and binge drinking can be dangerous, the combination of the two can cause long-term problems. Osborne says that there can be problems with cognitive functioning, including problems with studying, making decisions and concentrating.

Those who struggle with drunkorexia can also put themselves at higher risk for injury, unsafe sexual decisions and substance abuse. Women are especially vulnerable because their process for metabolizing alcohol is different from that of men. Women may suffer long-term problems sooner than men.

Osborne stresses that while students are cautioned about the dangers of binge drinking, they are rarely warned about the consequences associated with binge drinking combined with disordered eating.

A study from UCLA provides new evidence supporting the use of naltrexone for alcoholism treatment in certain people. Naltrexone is one of only three medications that have been approved thus far by the Food and Drug Administration for treating alcoholism.

The study’s results show that a certain gene variant may indicate that naltrexone is a successful treatment. Assistant professor of psychology as well as director of the Addictions Laboratory at UCLA and lead author, Lara Ray, explains that among Asians, there is an increased concentration of a certain gene mutation that makes naltrexone an effective treatment. Only about 20 percent of Caucasians possess the mutation, by comparison.

Ray is also a faculty member at the UCLA Brain Research Institute and at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. The study is published online and will be published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

The researchers’ work centered on a trial that tested the effectiveness of naltrexone in comparison with a placebo given to heavy drinkers of Asian descent. Of the participants, 35 were given the equivalent of two or three alcoholic drinks. Each participant was given two rounds of the drinks, one following a dose of naltrexone and the other after being given a sugar pill.

The results indicated that naltrexone was effective in those with a consistent gene mutation, but was not effective in those with other genetic dispositions. The participants for whom the drug was effective reported that they felt more sedated and experienced less disagreeable feelings from intoxication when they were taking the naltrexone, when compared with the placebo.

The results were consistent, even when the researchers adjusted for genes that are involved in the metabolism of alcohol, and when the researchers controlled for an "alcohol flushing" response that is commonly noted by those of Asian descent.

The authors of the study note that these results point to an example where personalized medicine is an effective strategy for treatment. Different people react in different ways to medications, but in some cases naltrexone may be a very effective treatment for certain people in treating alcoholism.

Demos followed roughly 32,000 people from childhood to adulthood to determine the family patterns that most impacted whether or not a person engaged in risky alcohol consumption. By the study’s end the group identified the two strongest determiners of drinking to be

1. The strength of the marital relationship
2. The strength of the parenting style employed

Divorce and Alcohol Abuse

Sadly, though perhaps not surprisingly, children of divorced parents were more likely to be problem drinkers. When there are stresses and difficulties between the parents of younger children, and especially when those end in divorce, there is a demonstrable impact upon the children later on in life.

The author of the report hastened to add that divorce itself doesn’t force children to become alcohol abusers, but instead, the relational instability and resultant stresses affect everyone in the home – parents and children alike. Nevertheless, the connection between binge drinking as a teen or adult and the parents’ marital breakdown remains.

Parenting Style Tied to Drinking Habits

The other strong influencing factor upon a child’s later drinking habits was parenting style. Four parenting styles were outlined as follows:

1. Authoritarian parenting, which sets non-negotiable standards and places high value on obedience and structure and less emphasis on exploration and freedom.
2. Disengaged parenting, which is emotionally aloof and does not establish boundaries or provide structure.
3. Laissez-faire parenting, in which the parent is emotionally connected, but places less emphasis on setting rules and standards.
4. Tough love parenting, which establishes negotiable rules and welcomes autonomy and decision-making in the child.

The researchers questioned the parents to determine their style, asking about how much time they spent with their young children, how often the family ate meals together, how aware of the teenager’s whereabouts during evening hours parents were, and how often the rules in the home were broken, among others.

The study reports that drinking was far less likely to be a problem for a 16-year-old that had experienced high degrees of parental warmth and affection before the age of 5. By contrast, if a 16-year-old had a disengaged parent they were eight times more likely to abuse alcohol than would be the same age child of emotionally and behaviorally involved parents. Homes where parents ably mix high levels of affection with firmly established boundaries seem to produce children who are most likely to become responsible drinkers in adulthood.

What Parents Can Do to Prevent Teen Alcohol Abuse

The parents’ role in character formation was underlined by the study’s results. Demos recommends that parents discuss alcohol use with their children while setting their own example of sobriety. It is also important that parents be sure that kids do not have easy access to alcohol inside the home.

The think tank encourages parents to step in front of the move to address problems with an entrenched drinking culture that currently exists in Britain. The U.K. Department of Health is expected to announce a new strategy to confront the issue, but parents could help stem a potentially growing tide of binge drinking among the countries young with love, discipline, commitment and oversight within the home.

Smartphones can be smarter than people sometimes, especially when it comes to judging if a person is in the right condition to be operating a vehicle on the road. The new tool is designed to get people to stop and consider what they are doing before deciding to drive after drinking alcohol.

The program invites users to enter information such as gender, weight, beverage(s) consumed and time spent drinking into the smartphone. The app then makes a calculation of the drinker’s level of intoxication. The screen displays an estimated BAC (blood alcohol content) and an appropriate corresponding message such as "You’re buzzed, you could be arrested for drunk driving. Designate a sober driver."

Also helpful, the app provides the phone number for a local taxi cab service. The tool comes with a disclaimer that makes it plain that the BAC is an estimate and does not constitute evidence that could be used in a court of law.

Law enforcement officials, while enthusiastic about the potential for the app, are quick to point out that impairment can be about more than the drinks consumed at the bar. Many things contribute to whether or not a person is impaired after consuming alcohol. When the person last ate and slept can be factors. Whether or not the person is taking medications can influence how rapidly they become impaired after drinking alcohol. And, of course, if the person has taken illegal drugs along with drinking, the calculation the app provides would be far from determining their actual ability to properly manage an automobile.

All users can benefit from an outside reminder that perhaps they have had more to drink than they realize and there is increased potential for danger should they drive. Nonetheless, MoDOT does have a target audience in mind. In the past two years alone, the state has seen 90 crash fatalities resulting from impaired drivers under the age of 21. This app is the department’s way of reaching out to a demographic that is known to be at a significantly higher risk of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Officials with the department wisely note that their target consumer has less experience and probably isn’t yet able to accurately judge their own limitations – even more so when their judgment could already be impaired by a few too many beers.

Alcohol affects everyone differently and officials at MoDOT don’t expect this effort alone to solve a serious problem – but they do hope to give people the opportunity to pause and think again before making a seriously wrong decision. The app is free and can be downloaded at FOX4KC.com

Susan F. Tapert, with the San Diego Healthcare System, points out that heavy use of alcohol can interrupt the growth of normal brain cells, especially during adolescence. Tapert says the effects could last for months after the teen consumes alcohol.

A study published online recently from the October issue of Alcoholism, shows the areas in which drinking-related problems can cost your memory. Driving can be affected, as well as your ability to read maps. You may experience problems with figural reasoning, such as with geometry and also remembering certain driving routes or directions to places. You may even have trouble remembering sports events and re-enacting certain plays that were more complex. The research was conducted on 95 teenagers and tested things such as memory by using an MRI to scan the brain. Researchers also conducted interviews about substance abuse among the teens.

Teenage girls who were already serious drinkers had less brain activity in many areas than those who didn’t drink at all and teen boys that drank excessive amounts showed some brain abnormality when measured against peers who didn’t drink. However, the difference between drinkers and abstainers that were boys was less than it was among the girls. Gender differences could be related to hormonal differences between the two sexes or perhaps due to the fact that girls’ brains develop earlier than boys.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine, was made by accident when researchers were exploring fish oil as a treatment for patients with bipolar disorder. They found that DHA, a fatty acid and the key make-up of fish oil, helped mice with bipolar disorder to control their symptoms, warding off depression and bouts of mania even when under stress.

While not a planned outcome for the study, researchers said in a Daily Mail article that when the mice were given fish oil, their desires for alcohol were also lessened. The mice had been shown to crave and enjoy alcohol, researchers said, but those receiving the DHA didn’t drink as much. The same was true for rats who had grown accustomed to alcohol consumption.

Researchers concluded that diets high in omega 3 fatty acids may not only improve the symptoms of bipolar disorder, or help prevent it, but that they may also have an impact on patients with alcoholism.

Previous studies on omega 3 fatty acids have indicated the substance can improve symptoms of ADHD, arthritis, depression and heart disease. DHA and other omega 3 fatty acids are commonly found in salmon, caviar, sardines, mackerel and flaxseed oil. Further research is planned on omega 3 fatty acids and alcoholism.

A recent Boston Herald report shows that alcohol poisoning deaths in Massachusetts have soared over the last decade. State health officials are pointing to a number of potential causes for this increase, including binge drinking, sales tax exemptions given to alcohol sold in stores and other trends.

A report issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health showed the number of deaths attributed to drinking fatal volumes of alcohol jumped from 18 in 2000 to 228 in 2008, a 12-fold increase. This trend has pushed alcohol past cocaine overdoses as a cause of death in the state.

The report also found that in 2008 – the most recent year for which statistics were available – alcohol was associated with one in four poisoning deaths. Such deaths do include drug overdoses. Fatal overdoses caused by opioids such as heroin and OxyContin accounted for 69 percent of all poisoning deaths. Of these recorded deaths, 88 percent were ruled as accidental.

Health officials are still trying to determine the exact cause of the dramatic increase in alcohol-related deaths and believe that a number of different factors could play a role. The state also has a binge drinking rate that is higher than the national average, said Michael Botticelli with the state Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

Botticelli also believes the increase in the number and variety of alcohol energy drinks has contributed to the increase. He pointed to the fact that such beverages have been shown to contribute to an increased probability of alcohol poisonings.

In terms of stopping alcohol cravings, there is a strong cognitive element, and thoughts about drinking alcohol will often be present for the person seeking recovery. Experts suggest people will have more success if they pre-plan how they will handle the craving, and know ahead of time about situations that will be difficult.

One way the cognitive approach to stopping alcohol cravings is accomplished is through taking inventory of the thoughts and feelings that are taking place in the midst of a craving, and then analyzing the moment in a new way. Sometimes that involves a person simply sitting with the thought of feeling, experiencing it, and letting it pass.

Some people in recovery stop alcohol cravings by using imagery. This means replacing a previous image of a time when the person was abusing alcohol with a new image of the person enjoying an activity without alcohol. This may also be effective if the person needs to practice how they will stop an alcohol craving before an event occurs, like a social function.

Similar to cognitive methods that involve sitting with the thought, and using imagery to replace it, is the method of stopping alcohol cravings with distraction. Almost anything can be an effective method of distraction for stopping alcohol cravings, such as exercise, talking with someone, taking a drive and even playing a video game.

Experts say being bored can be a major cause of cravings for alcohol, and in many cases, the recovering alcoholic has become accustomed to using alcohol to fill up spaces of time. Family members or counselors working with an alcoholic to stop cravings may want to direct the person to schedule ahead for certain activities that could happen every week – like seeing a movie, visiting a gym, or meeting someone for coffee.

An approach to stopping alcohol cravings that is lesser known involves making small notes and phrases on index cards. The phrases can remind the person why they are choosing to recover, and what the alcohol has cost them, or encouragement that they can stop the craving and move forward. By carrying this homemade deck of cards with them, the recovering alcoholic has a quick tool at their fingertips.

Other triggers for alcohol can revolve around anger and stress. Stopping alcohol cravings rooted in these feelings may require steadfast relaxation options. Recovering alcoholics have learned to use simple breathing meditations, yoga, walking meditation and even repeating encouraging phrases to help them stop a craving.

The craving to drink alcohol can happen almost anytime, anywhere, and these tools can be part of a person’s toolbox as they work on recovery every day. Stopping alcohol cravings is challenging, but it is certainly possible, especially as the small successes of avoiding cravings build up over time and become solid, tangible strength.