Until law, GLP-1 drugs were used to treat diabetes, obesity and even the recent evidences suggest that it could as well be used to treat chronic kidney problems. There is yet another research, published in JAMA Psychiatry on February 25, titled Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial that explores if GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in adults with alcohol use disorder.

What Do Studies Say?

The research was conducted over a period of 9 weeks, where in the randomized clinical trial, the participants who were administered semaglutide, it led to reductions in some but not all measures of weekly consumptions. It also reduced weekly alcohol and craving related to placebo, and also led to a greater relative reduction in cigarettes per day.

The research also found that weekly injections of semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy also helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

The lead author Christian Hendershot said that these findings will help in developing new approaches to treat alcoholism. "Two drugs currently approved to reduce alcohol consumption aren't widely used. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists increases the chances of broad adoption of these treatments for alcohol use disorder," said Hendershot in news release by the University of Southern California's Institute for Addiction Research, where he is the director.

The study is government-funded research and was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was small, and took in account for only 48 adults over two months, thus experts say that it is not yet clear how safe these drugs are for people who do not need to lose weight. Though the results do add up with the evidence form animal studies on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy on how it helps manage cravings, not just for food, but also for tobacco and alcohol. Scientists are also studying these drugs on smokers, people with opioid addiction and cocaine users.

Co-author Dr Klara Klein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who treats people with obesity and diabetes said, "This is such promising data. And we need more of it. We frequently will hear that once people start these medications that their desire to drink is very reduced, if not completely abolished."

Why Does It Work So Well Against Alcoholism?

The GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking hormones GLP-1 in the gut and brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. This response is what helps one lose weight, and what helps one curb their craving for alcohol. These drugs that mimic the functioning of your brain, which is responsible to tell your body when to stop consuming, are the same hormones that tell your body about other kinds of consumptions, including alcohol. Therefore by consuming the weight loss drugs one can treat alcohol use disorder.

However, the researchers have pointed out on the limited data on the research and have suggested to continue using the three approved drugs by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, namely, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate to treat alcohol use disorder until large studies confirm these findings.

A new study found that nearly 8 out of 10, or 80%, of young adults in the US, with an average age of 23, had cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.

Published in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, the study found that these young adults had CKM syndrome at Stage 1, 2 or 3, meaning they had excess adiposity, metabolic risk factors and/or evidence of subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Young Adults Already Showing CKM Risk

The study included 1,283 young adults from large US cities. About 21% had no identifiable CKM risk factors (Stage 0), while none were in Stage 4.

More advanced CKM stages were associated with early arterial injury, including thicker carotid artery walls, an early marker of atherosclerosis, even among people in their early 20s.

Researchers said the findings highlight the need to begin prevention earlier in life. They also suggested promoting the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 early in life to improve cardiovascular health.

Life’s Essential 8 focuses on

• healthy eating,
• physical activity,
• avoiding tobacco,
• healthy sleep,
• healthy weight,
• healthy cholesterol,
• healthy blood sugar,
• healthy blood pressure.

What The Findings Mean For Young Adults

“The findings are important because they show that cardiovascular risk can begin building much earlier than we traditionally expect. We often associate heart disease with middle age or older adults, but risk factors such as excess weight, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and elevated blood sugar can develop silently in young adults,” Dr. Gobu P, Senior Consultant Cardiology, Gleneagles Chennai, told HealthandMe.

Dr. Chetan Kumar H. B, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, added that heart, kidney and metabolic health issues can start much earlier than traditionally thought. While heart disease becomes more common with age, the risk factors that lead to it can begin developing in early adulthood.

The findings do not mean that these young adults already have heart disease. Rather, the association between advanced CKM risk and early arterial changes highlights the importance of identifying and addressing risk factors early.

Why Early Checks Matter

Read More: Fifth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction: What the 3 New Heart Attack Categories Mean

Young adults do not necessarily need extensive cardiac investigations simply because of their age. However, those who are overweight, have high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of premature heart disease should consider regular health checks.

“Monitoring blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight can help identify risks early. Early intervention through lifestyle changes, and medication when required, can significantly reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease later in life,” Dr. Gobu said.

Dr. Chetan noted that unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and rising blood sugar levels are increasingly seen at younger ages. These problems can develop silently and gradually affect the heart, kidneys and blood vessels.

“Young adults should not wait until they are symptomatic to start paying attention to their health. Simple tests like blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight can go a long way in identifying risks early, especially in those with a family history of diabetes, hypertension, kidney or heart disease," he told HealthandMe.

The experts stressed that the findings should be viewed as a call for prevention rather than alarm. Identifying and addressing risk factors early could help protect long-term heart, kidney and metabolic health.

Gone are the days when teeth brushing involved just a toothbrush and toothpaste. It seems that the future of ultimate oral health is here as a newly developed AI toothbrush lets you see parts of your mouth to see parts that you may miss.

The electric toothbrush with a built-in camera and machine-learning technology that watches the mouth while you brush. The device is designed to identify gaps between teeth in real time and direct a targeted stream of mouth rinse into those areas.

The technology is aimed at the spaces between teeth, one of the most easily missed parts of daily oral hygiene.

How Does The Camera Toothbrush Work?

The toothbrush has a 100,000-pixel macro-lens camera built into the brush head. Its Gap Optical Targeting system analyses 28 images every second, using machine learning to detect, track and predict the position of gaps between teeth.

When it identifies a gap, the toothbrush can automatically trigger a precision conical jet of mouth rinse, directing up to 0.15ml of liquid between the teeth.

In other words, instead of simply brushing over the surfaces of the teeth, the device attempts to identify where cleaning is being missed and target those areas while you continue brushing.

The camera also streams live footage to a specifically designed app, allowing users to see their brushing technique and coverage.

Also read: Vitamin D3 Outperforms D2 In Maintaining Muscle, Heart Function, Shows ICMR Study

The Gaps Between Teeth Are Important

Brushing alone cannot adequately reach every tight space between teeth. Food particles and plaque can become trapped there, allowing bacteria to accumulate.

If plaque remains undisturbed, it can harden into tartar and contribute to gum irritation, bleeding gums, bad breath, and gum disease. Interdental cleaning, therefore, is an important part of oral hygiene alongside brushing. Rather than relying on people remembering to floss separately, the device combines brushing and targeted cleaning with a jet.

Also read: Scientists Warn Common Diabetes Drug Taken By Millions Could Cause Life-Threatening 'Diabetic Attack'

Could It Actually Improve Oral Health?

Dyson says its toothbrush, named Camerajet, has been clinically shown to improve gum health in two weeks when used with its low-foaming mouth rinse compared with a manual toothbrush.

It says its brushing system can remove up to 69% more plaque than leading electric toothbrushes. However, evidence is limited, so they should not be interpreted as proof that the device is superior to every existing electric toothbrush or professional dental care.

According to the The Guardian, the British Dental Association cautioned that expensive technology is not a replacement for maintaining consistent oral hygiene.

The Future Of Brushing?

The more interesting feature of the toothbrush is that it can respond to what it sees. Most toothbrushes provide instructions about where and how long to brush.

The AI brush attempts to take that a step further by detecting areas that need attention and directing cleaning there in real time.

Additionally, unlike traditional water flossers that typically use a needle-shaped stream, this brush uses a broader, cone-shaped jet that sprays mouth rinse across a wider area between the teeth.

But even the smartest toothbrush cannot replace regular dental check-ups, professional cleaning when needed, or a consistent oral-care routine.

A type of common diabetes drugs prescribed to millions of diabetics has hidden, life-threatening complications, especially among those with certain risk factors.

The findings are based on a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. It studied nearly 280,000 people with type 2 diabetes treated with SGLT2 inhibitors, a class of drugs that includes dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, canagliflozin and ertugliflozin.

A research team from Karolinska Institute found that some patients were more likely to develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) while taking these drugs.

The research comes after a study showed deaths from ketoacidosis are on the rise in the UK. Last year researchers from Imperial College London found ketoacidosis cases increased by a massive percentage of 81 per cent between 2015 and 2023.

What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis And What Are Its Warning Signs?

Its symptoms can include excessive thirst, urinating frequently, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and blurred vision. More serious warning signs include deep or unusual breathing, fruity breath, extreme tiredness, sleepiness, or confusion.

Researchers said that developing an infection was the most common trigger of ketoacidosis. They also said that kidney problems, stroke and major surgery were also seen as triggers in patients who developed it.

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What Are The Study's Findings?

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar by helping the kidneys remove excess glucose through urine. They are widely used in type 2 diabetes treatment as their benefits extend to the heart and kidneys as well. Some studies have also linked them to weight loss.

However, these medicines can encourage the body to rely more heavily on fat for energy. This process can increase ketone production, increasing the risk of ketoacidosis in susceptible patients.

The study found that the risk was particularly high among people who had previously experienced ketoacidosis, had high blood sugar, were underweight, or showed signs of malnutrition.

Patients with a history of dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) were also at increased risk.

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Greater Risk At The Beginning Of The Treatment

While patients faced their greatest risk during the first few months after starting an SGLT2 inhibitor, researchers found that the risk persisted for as long as they continued taking the medicine.

This finding is contradictory to previous research that has largely focused on ketoacidosis occurring soon after treatment begins.

Peter Ueda, assistant professor at the Department of Medicine at the Karolinska Institute, said the findings should not be interpreted as a reason for patients to stop their medication.

“SGLT2 inhibitors provide medical benefits for many patients,” Ueda said.“Our findings are not primarily about avoiding treatment, but about improving our ability to identify high-risk patients and use these medicines more safely,” he added.

The findings can help doctors identify people who may need closer monitoring before and during treatment, particularly if they have previous ketoacidosis, are underweight or malnourished, or develop an infection.