Older generations are ‘pre-drinking’ at home to dangerous levels, study finds

The terms ‘pre-loading’ or ‘pre-drinking’ might conjure up images of a group of students cramped into  a tiny flat and hitting the booze before a night out on the town to try and save money, but a new study into the nation’s drinking habits has revealed that in fact, their parents could also be excessively drinking before even heading out the door.

Researchers involved the study, published yesterday in the journal Addiction, warned that middle-aged Britons are putting their health at risk by ‘pre-loading’ with alcohol at home before a night out, with some also finishing off the night with a few drinks when they get back home.

The researchers, based at Sheffield University, analysed the weekly diaries of drinking habits completed by 60,200 over-18s between 2009 and 2011. It was discovered that 1 in 5 had drinks at home before or after going out in the previous week.

Worryingly, it seems that adults are routinely consuming 14 units of alcohol – equivalent to a bottle and a half of wine – in an evening by drinking in several locations. According to NHS guidelines, this means they have reached their maximum limit for the entire week.

The study will shatter the long-term myth that pre-drinking is merely something done by hard-up students looking to save a few quid on their night out, and will add to increasing concerns that older generations are actually drinking harmful levels of alcohol. This will therefore increase their risk of developing serious health problems such as cancer and heart disease.

Dr John Holmes, who led the study, said: “When we looked at this in more detail, it seemed that people were pre-loading and post-loading – drinking when they got back home.

“It might be that you’re going out to dinner with friends and you open a bottle of wine before you go, or you go to Sunday lunch and then have a beer in the garden afterwards.

“For those in middle-age, it’s probably not drinking before going out and tearing up the town, but it leads to them consuming the same amount as younger age groups, which obviously affects their health long-term if they’re doing it regularly.”

The drinking sessions that comprised of several drinking locations made up of 11% of all occasions on which the people in the study had drank alcohol, with 14% where the participants had only been drinking at home – where they would normally drink around 11.6 units through the course of an evening. This is equivalent to 4 large glasses of wine.

The study showed that another 11% of drinking occasions occurred whilst being out with friends and 9% were going out for a meal as a couple or with family. The authors of the study highlighted dinner parties as occasions when adults drink ‘very heavily’.

Dr James Nicholls, director of research and policy development at charity Alcohol Research UK, which funded the study, commented: “I was surprised it wasn’t just young people doing the pre-loading.

“If you start before you go out you are more likely to be drunk by the end of the night. The amount we drink at home is usually considerably higher than we remember it being. You’re pouring your own drinks and glasses are large.”

Jackie Ballard, of charity Alcohol Concern, said: “Harmful drinking is a real issue for middle-aged and older people. Many of this group are regularly drinking above recommended limits, often in their own homes where it can be harder to keep track of how much you’re consuming.”

Katherine Brown, of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, argued that it is the easy availability to get cheap booze which is why drinking at home is becoming more common, where it is ‘very easy’ to drink unhealthy levels.

For those concerned that they are drinking too much and want to reduce their alcohol intake, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy can provide alcohol dependency treatment Selincro (nalmefene) to suitable patients.

Selincro’s active ingredient, nalmefene, works by latching onto certain opioid receptors in the brain that are responsible for addictive behaviour, altering their activity, thereby decreasing the urge to continue drinking.

This medication is available for people who do not have physical withdrawal symptoms and who do not require immediate detoxification.

You must record at least 2 weeks of your alcohol consumption before taking your online consultation with Medical Specialists®.

Obesity linked to soaring cases of potentially fatal womb cancer

Rising levels of obesity are being linked to a soaring number of women being diagnosed with womb (uterine) cancer.

Alarmingly, past studies have led researchers to previously predict that if trends continues, up to 48% of men and 43% of women in the UK could be obese by 2030.

In statistics published on Wednesday, Cancer Research have now warned that ever-increasing levels of obesity amongst UK women are helping to fuel the 54% rise in womb cancer rates within the last 20 years.


In the early 1990s, it was calculated that an estimated 19 women in every 100,000 developed the potentially deadly disease, but by 2011-13 the figure had jumped to around 29 women in every 100,000 – and obesity has been the probable primary factor.

About 20 years ago, there were approximately 4,800 new cases of womb cancer diagnosed each year in the UK, resulting in 1,500 deaths. However, this has now shot up to 9,000 women being diagnosed with the disease, and around 2,000 deaths.

Professor Jonathan Ledermann, director of the Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre, said: ‘It’s worrying that womb cancer cases are going up so sharply.

“We don’t know all the reasons why. But we do know that about a third of cases are linked to being overweight so it’s no surprise to see the increases in womb cancer cases echo rising obesity levels.
“The good news is that thanks to research and improved treatments, survival has improved.

“In the 1970s, almost 6 in 10 women diagnosed with the disease survived for at least 10 years. Now almost 8 in 10 women survive.

“But we need more research to understand the biology of the disease better and to know more about how it is caused so that we can improve the treatment of these women as well as preventing more cases.”

It was only back in January that Cancer Research UK warned that being overweight or obese could be responsible for nearly 700,000 extra people developing cancer in the next 20 years.

Obesity is consistently linked to a whole range of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and many more. Moreover, at least 10 types of cancer can be caused by extra weight.

The 10 cancers caused by obesity are cancers of the bowel, breast, gallbladder, kidney, liver, oesophagus, ovarian, pancreas and prostate.

Cancer Research UK state that it is now fully clear exactly how being overweight or obese causes cancer to develop, but it is believed to be related to the excess fat resulting in the hormones and growth factor molecules encouraging cells to divide. This then causes tumours to form.

Less major factors linked to the risk of developing cancer of the womb include age, genetics, lack of exercise and if the person is on hormone replacement therarpy (HRT).

If womb cancer is spotted at an early stage it can be treated with a hysterectomy. Symptoms of the disease can include abnormal vaginal bleeding (particularly in post-menopausal women), blood in the urine and abdominal pain.

IBS Awareness Month is here: Do You Have the Stomach for the Fight?

IBS Awareness Month occurs each April and this provides an ideal opportunity for attention to be focused on important health messages about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnosis, treatment options, and quality of life issues when managing the condition.

For those suffering with IBS, rest assure that there are millions of others in the same boat. IBS is a very common disorder, with worldwide a prevalence estimated at around 9% to 23%. Despite this, there are undoubtedly millions of people around the world who are suffering in silence, without a proper diagnosis, and maybe even unaware that their symptoms indicate a medically recognised disorder.

IBS is a long-term gut disorder in which abdominal pain or discomfort is experienced, usually sporadically, together with erratic bowel habits. This comes in the form of diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating bouts of both. The condition may also be referred to by one of many more outdated terms, such as irritable colon, mucous colitis, nervous stomach, spastic colitis or spastic colon.

Other symptoms may also be present, including: backache, belching, bladder problems, headache, heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, and quickly feeling full after eating.

Over 10% of the population suffer with IBS and this percentage could increase in the future if the nation’s stress levels rise – stress is a primary cause of IBS.

Other factors that can lead to IBS can include a combination of a number of issues such as: inflammation of your bowel (i.e. after an infection like gastroenteritis), dietary factors (foods high in carbohydrates, foods high in fat, spicy foods, alcohol, fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks are culprits), genetics (family members may have also had IBS), or mental issues such as depression.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive treatment or cure for IBS and no ‘one size fits all’ remedy to rectify the problem, but there are certain IBS treatments that can ease symptoms for some sufferers, hopefully helping them to lead a more normal day-to-day life. These include prescription medications such as Constella, Mebeverine, Xifaxanta, and over-the-counter products such as Buscopan IBS Relief and Colpermin. The prescription medications may only be obtained by completing an online consultation with one of the Medical Specialists® Pharmacy GMC-registered doctors, or by sending a private prescription to Medical Specialists®.

There are also numerous other dietary and lifestyle choices that those with IBS may find beneficial in helping symptoms subside. These include:

. Drink around eight cups of fluid each day – preferably water. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic drinks.

. For those finding it impossible to give up tea and coffee, restrict the intake to three cups per day at the most.

. Have regular meals, evenly spaced out, and pacing yourself whilst eating. Also, do not go long periods without eating anything.

. Those with IBS that often flares-up during times of stress, depression, or anxiety, are advised to try relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises or meditation, in addition to more physically-involved activities such as pilates or yoga.

. Consume no more than three portions of fruit per day.

. Those suffering with diarrhoea should avoid artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol. This is contained in some sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, and certain diabetic and slimming products.

. Vigorous exercise, for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. This should be done at least three times each week. It is important for patients with IBS to discuss with their GP which exercise is most suited for them.

Gut problems are one of the most common types of disorders seen by doctors and are certainly nothing to be ashamed about. If anyone is experiencing any kind of stomach complaint, they should consult a GP immediately. The GP will ask detailed questions about lifestyle, diet, etc. before making a formal diagnosis and discussing how to go forward with the condition, or make a referral for further detailed scans if necessary, to see if there is an underlying problem.

Unisex contraceptive pill on the horizon?

Contraceptive pills for women include popular choices such as cerazette, marvelon, yasmin and zoely, all of which slightly differ in their active ingredients and mechanism of action, but all are ultimately designed to prevent the woman from becoming pregnant.

For the male, there is the barrier method of wearing a condom, which some men still find uncomfortable doing, and not much else choice wise. However, could things change in the future?
Remarkably, there may be contraceptive pill on the horizon that could be taken by both men and women, following advancements in the knowledge of sperm biology in the United States.

The new study, funded by the governmental National Institutes of Health, could also lead to the reversal of infertility in thousands of British men after the findings demonstrated how sperm are given a “power boost” to get to the egg.

The scientists involved in the study managed to identify a protein contained in sperm that provides it with sufficient energy it requires to power towards an egg and break into it.

Researchers in the study commented that this ABHD2 protein allows the tail to ‘crack like a whip’ and ‘power kick’ its way into the egg.

With this in mind, by blocking this protein, this could stop the sperm from fertilising the egg.
Dr Stuart Moss, of the National Institutes of Health, said: “Developing new compounds that block ABHD2 ultimately may yield new contraceptive methods that prevent sperm from research the egg.”

University of California, Berkeley researcher Melissa Miller also commented: “What is really cool is that we have an actual target for unisex contraceptive development.”

Therefore theoretically, a contraception pill could be taken by either the male or female, which could let men have a bigger share of the contraceptive responsibility in a relationship.

On the flip side, a pill which boosts the protein could even help infertile couples to finally have children, the journal Science reports.

At the moment, around 80% of male infertility cases cannot be pinpointed to a definitive reason, mainly because doctors are not fully aware how the interactions between sperm and eggs result in infertility. Moreover, the sperm could be the problem in half of all cases of infertile couples.

It was previously challenging to analyse the functions of sperm with conventional laboratory methods due to the fact it is the body’s smallest cell.

However, advancements in technology over the last 5 years led to the new discovery at the University of California, whereby scientists have been able to attach electrodes to the sperm’s tail and record how it reacts to hormones.

This meant that they were able to discover how a large receptor on the sperm tails – a calcium channel referred to as CatSper – is activated by progesterone from the egg.

The scientists however believed that the progesterone wasn’t directly impacting on the calcium channel, but on another receptor, which then activated the calcium channel.

This was found to be true; tests showing that progesterone binds to an enzyme named ABHD2, found in abundance within sperm.

After it connects to the enzyme – on the surface of the sperm – it get rids of a lipid that has been inhibiting the calcium channel. This then allows CatSper to open the gate to calcium ions and thus, sperm activation.

Ms Miller commented that this inhibitor, CatSper, is probably there to stop the sperm from prematurely travelling to the egg and using up their limited supply of energy.

Should more people be taking cholesterol-boosting statins?

Statins are the most commonly prescribed type of medicine within the UK, taken by millions of people to help lower their ‘bad’ low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood.

A large proportion of people may only be prescribed statins on the basis of their future risk though, for instance if there is a chance of the person developing cardiovascular disease, if there is a strong family history of cardiovascular disease, or determined by the person’s age.

However, experts have warned that this is simply excluding a great number of people who may benefit from taking statins, which include atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin and more. The warnings came as part of a study published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation.

Scientists based at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Montreal, Canada, argue that actually younger people with high cholesterol levels should be prescribed too. They estimated that there at least 9.5 million lower-risk, young people who would benefit from statins that aren’t taking them at the moment.

Dr George Thanassoulis, director of preventative and genomic cardiology at MUHC, said: “Targeting statin treatment to this group would prevent an additional 266,000 heart attacks and strokes over 10 years.”

In determining who they thought would receive health benefits from statin therapy, the scientists studied data from 2,134 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally-representative US cohort that spanned from 2005 to 2010.

The survey comprised of around 71.8 million Americans who were deemed eligible for statins. Those involved in the study then used a 10-year risk based approach, in addition to an individualised benefit approach, comparing the two different ways of looking at eligibility for statins.

Dr Thanassoulis commented: “Using a benefit-based approach, we identified 9.5 million lower-risk Americans not currently eligible for statin treatment, who had the same or greater expected benefit from statins as higher-risk individuals.

“These individuals were lower-risk because they were younger but they also had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol which we have known to be an important cause of heart disease.”
The study’s findings may lead to health professionals reconsidering who should be prescribed the cholesterol-boosting drugs, and possibly recommending that people previously thought of as too young to be at risk of a heart attack, should be eligible for them.

Dr Thanassoulis said: “Our analysis shows that they would benefit from treatment, even in the short term, and therefore should be eligible for statin treatment.”

The scientists involved in the study argue that this could help to prevent a large number of people suffering with cardiovascular disease in the future.

“For too many, the present approach starts too late; an earlier start will multiply the lives save,” Dr Thanassoulis added.

The next step for the team that undertook the study will be the creation of a web interface to enable other physicians to take advantage of the new calculation model, and hope their method will result in new guidelines being set on identifying people who could benefit from statins.

Air pollution linked to thousands of deaths

Thousands of lives are being put at grave danger from exposure to pollution emitted from everyday household objects and appliances, according to the findings of a new report.

Health problems could be linked to linked to frequently used items such as air fresheners, candles, cleaning products, fly sprays, personal care products, mould or mildew, fires or wood-burning stoves and poorly maintained gas heaters and boilers, claims the report conducted by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), titled Every Breath We Take: the lifelong impact of air pollution.

A person’s house itself and the materials it has been constructed could also be a source of concern regarding chemical pollutants. The authors say: “These include the construction materials, as well as paints, glues, furniture, wallpaper and drapery. Cleaning and DIY products, air fresheners and other consumer products such as insecticide sprays that we use in the home are also important.”

It has long been common knowledge that smoking causes indoor air pollution, but now health experts have warned of several other items that are risking the onset of conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respiratory problems, cancer and heart problems.

The report even claims indoor air pollution may have caused or contributed to at least 40,000 deaths a year in the UK, and 99,000 deaths in total in just one year across Europe.

Though being indoors may help to protect people from harmful outdoor pollution, this means that there is more time spent being exposed to pollution from inside their own homes, with the authors arguing that the drive to bringing energy costs by creating homes with tighter ventilation may be worsening the situation.

“Being indoors can offer some protection against outdoor air pollution, but it can also expose us to other air pollution sources,” the authors wrote.

“There is now good awareness of the risks from badly maintained gas appliances, radioactive radon gas and second-hand tobacco smoke, but indoors we can also be exposed to NO2 from gas cooking and solvents that slowly seep from plastics, paints and furnishings.

“The lemon and pine scents that we use to make our homes smell fresh can react chemically to generate air pollutants, and ozone-based air fresheners can also cause indoor air pollution.”

In particularly, the report highlighted the danger of potentially fatal carbon monoxide released from faulty boilers and heaters, in addition to the particulates and nitrogen oxides coming from heating and cooking appliances which can damage the lungs and heart.

Perhaps the most worrying alarming aspects of air pollution mentioned in the report is the threat posed by the common household items used daily by millions of people, like fresheners and personal hygiene, DIY and cleaning products.

Finally, the report concluded how there could be many more thousands of deaths from both inside and outside the home than has been previously thought.

Back in 2008, 29,000 deaths across the UK each year was the figure estimated as a result of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution, but the latest estimates now put the figure at about 40,000.

Air pollution has been attributed to health problems such as asthma, cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and stroke.