Many of us believe that we are great drinkers and that alcohol does not affect us as much. People who are able to drink without showing any sign of inebriation are known as social drinkers. In short, they are not addicted to alcohol but will not turn down the opportunity to have a good time! While it may seem like it doesn’t affect you, new studies suggest that it is just an illusion, even if you have high tolerance, alcohol affects your cognitive and motor functions more than you think.

The study reveals the below implications and techniques:

• Researchers used a new MRI technique to precisely measure brain electrical activity.
• By comparing brain scans before and after drinking, scientists identified specific areas affected by alcohol and how much brain activity slowed down.
• Participants were chosen to be regular social drinkers without alcohol addiction, ensuring the study focused on the effects of alcohol alone.
• MRI technology provided reliable data on brain activity changes caused by alcohol consumption.

How does the brain react to alcohol?

Think of it as the foundation for your brain's performance. When brain conductivity is high, information flows smoothly, and that helps your brain in rapid processing and response. On the other hand, low conductivity can hinder cognitive function, leading to slower thinking, impaired memory, and difficulties with coordination.

A study conducted at the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Science unveiled a startling connection between alcohol consumption and brain conductivity.

What is the connection between alcohol consumption and brain activity?

While many people brush off the effects of alcohol as temporary changes in behaviour, the reality is much more complex. Beyond the obvious impacts on coordination and judgment, alcohol significantly alters brain function. Alcohol dramatically slowed down brain activity, especially in areas responsible for decision-making, planning, and physical coordination. This decline was so significant that it resembled the brain changes seen in normal ageing. This means even one drink could temporarily accelerate the ageing process of your brain.

Alcohol and Brain activity: What does the study Imply?

The implications of this research are far-reaching. It provides compelling evidence that alcohol consumption has a direct and measurable impact on brain function. The discovery that alcohol can significantly reduce brain conductivity opens new avenues for understanding the neurocognitive effects of alcohol abuse and dependence. While you may not feel like alcohol is affecting you and you have a high tolerance, it most definitely changes and affects your decision-making abilities and impulse control.

Furthermore, the MRI technique employed in the study could be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of other substances on the brain and for developing interventions to mitigate alcohol-related brain damage.

A major counterfeit medicine racket has been busted near Bengaluru, with authorities seizing spurious drugs worth around ₹5 crore from a facility near the Bidadi toll gate.

But the investigation has raised an even bigger concern. Some of the fake drugs may also have entered hospitals, pharmacies and even intensive care units (ICUs).

Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader said the drugs were allegedly relabelled using the names of multinational pharmaceutical companies.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration's drug wing carried out the operation on August 18. Officials suspect the racket could be connected to a wider network spanning multiple states, with counterfeit pharmaceuticals sourced from different places including Himachal Pradesh and Telangana.

Why Are Fake Drugs Dangerous In ICUs?

According to officials, the medicines were allegedly relabelled with the branding of known pharma companies, making counterfeit products appear genuine. This is particularly concerning as fake medicines could become difficult to identify and eliminate simply by examining the packaging.

Authorities are now looking into where these medicines came from, how they got into the supply chain, and which hospitals or pharmacies may have received them. It has not been reported that any hospital has actually administered the fake drugs to the patients.

Counterfeit medicines are always a major public health concern, but the consequences can be particularly severe in an ICU.

Critically ill patients often depend on medicines that have to work quickly at precise doses. Drugs used in intensive care can include antibiotics, medicines to control blood pressure, sedatives, pain medicines and drugs that support organ function.

Also read: From Liquor to Dabur to VKC Nuts, FSSAI Crackdown Puts Food Safety in Focus: Why It Matters

If a counterfeit product contains too little, too much, the wrong ingredient or no active ingredient at all, treatment can fail at the moment a patient needs it most.

For instance, a fake antibiotic may contain insufficient active medicine. In a critically ill patient with a serious infection, that could mean the infection continues to worsen while doctors believe the patient is receiving appropriate treatment. This could delay the correct course of treatment, leading to potential complications.

The opposite problem is also a possibility. An incorrectly formulated medicine could lead to toxicity, allergic reactions, organ damage, or other complications.

The Bigger Problem Of Fake Drugs In The Country

India's drug regulators regularly issue alerts about medicines that fail quality tests, while the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission's Pharmacovigilance Programme of India publishes drug safety alerts and regulatory information. The Centre has also been strengthening pharmaceutical traceability and regulatory oversight.

Earlier this month, the government notified amendments to the Drugs Rules that allow regulatory authorities to debar applicants who submit misleading, fake or fabricated documents or information to get their drugs approved.

But the Bengaluru case highlights a different challenge. Even when legitimate medicines are properly regulated, counterfeit products can infiltrate the supply chain. Health Minister Khader said the suspected racket could be part of a larger national network, making the investigation particularly crucial.

A 41-year-old South African fitness coach died after collapsing and losing consciousness during the HYROX Bangkok competition. The incident has left Thailand’s CrossFit and combat-sports communities mourning one of its popular figures.

It has also raised concerns about the risks of extreme physical exertion even among highly trained and fit athletes, especially at a high-profile sporting event like HYROX.

According to a statement posted on his Instagram page, Bangkok-based Leroy Saunders collapsed during the event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, which was held from August 13 to 16. He was resuscitated at the venue and taken to hospital but later died.

It is important to note that collapsing during an intense fitness event does not mean that it was directly caused by a cardiac emergency, dehydration, heat, or other underlying illness. Therefore, Leroy's family and team have asked HYROX and the media not to speculate reasons behind his sudden demise while the circumstances are still being investigated. No cause of death has been disclosed till now.

Who Was Leroy Saunders?

Saunders was also no stranger to HYROX. In 2025, he competed in the doubles category with Annika Saunders. He completed the race in 1 hour, 17 minutes and 51 seconds.

Also read: Water Or Electrolytes? Biggest Hydration Mistakes First-Time HYROX Athletes Make

What Is HYROX?

HYROX is a competitive fitness competition that pairs endurance running with functional strength training.

Even its name, a blend of "hybrid" and "rockstar," speaks to the blend of cardio and strength. It differs from marathons or obstacle course races in that it has a fixed format in all of its events globally.

Contestants perform eight workout stations, each after a one-kilometer run, in an indoor venue intended to deliver uniform competition conditions.

Participants typically complete repeated 1-kilometre runs interspersed with exercises like sled pushes and pulls, rowing, burpee broad jumps, farmer’s carries, sandbag lunges and wall balls.

This exercise format places considerable stress on the heart, muscles and body’s temperature-regulation system, particularly when performed at high intensity.

Also read: Is 'Hyrox' Challenge Worth The Hype Or Just Another Fitness Trend?

What Could Cause A Fit Person To Collapse During Strenuous Exercise?

Being extremely fit may not make someone immune to sudden health emergencies. During strenuous exercise, the heart has to pump considerably more blood, while the body simultaneously attempts to dissipate heat.

Dehydration, extreme heat, underlying heart conditions, abnormal heart rhythms and other factors can potentially contribute to collapse. But it would be inappropriate to attribute Saunders’ death to any particular one without confirmed medical findings.

This is especially relevant because Bangkok can be hot and humid, conditions that can make strenuous exercise like HYROX even more challenging.

Warning Signs

Athletes or people who exercise intensely on a regular basis should always be on the lookout for physical warning signs. They should never try to push through symptoms like:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Extreme unexplained breathlessness
• Fainting or near-fainting sensation
• Racing or irregular heartbeat
• Confusion, dizziness or disorientation
• Severe weakness or fatigue
• Loss of coordination and balance
• Persistent vomiting
• Extreme overheating

US President Donald Trump has nominated White House policy aide Heidi Overton to serve as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to media reports.

Overton, who currently serves as deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, is awaiting Senate approval, Bloomberg News reported.

If confirmed, she will succeed Marty Makary, who resigned in May after 13 months in the role following clashes with senior White House and health advisers and scrutiny over a series of controversial agency decisions. Kyle Diamantas has been serving as acting FDA commissioner since May.

Who Is Heidi Overton?

Overton previously worked at the conservative think tank America First Policy Institute, where she ultimately oversaw its Health Policy Center.

A physician by training, Overton received her medical degree from the University of New Mexico. She completed general surgery training at Johns Hopkins and pursued clinical investigation research training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

She also served during the first Trump administration before joining the America First Policy Institute.

Her work also involved overseeing signature health policy efforts, including the HHS administration’s push to redesign the food pyramid, overhaul the childhood vaccine schedule and work out pricing deals with pharmaceutical companies.

Overton’s Role in Vaccine Policy

Overton appeared alongside President Trump last week when he signed an executive order calling for an overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule. The order called for reducing the number of federally recommended shots and separating the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots.

“We do still recommend the measles vaccine for all children, but we want parents to be informed about the timing and to have the option to separate them out,” Overton said at the event.

She also said the order could help states identify “gold standard” recommendations and take steps to limit vaccines required for school entry.

“We are going to be working directly with states so that we’re not reliant on the court case to resolve,” Overton said, referring to ongoing litigation over pared-down vaccine recommendations. “We are doing it right away so that parents get the benefit from state laws changing.”

Criticism Over Overton’s FDA Appointment

Overton’s reported nomination has already drawn criticism from some health policy experts.

Raymond James analyst and former Trump health official Chris Meekins told Axios that Overton has degrees but “seemingly no real experience running anything.”

He also described her as a former Makary protégé who had moved further toward what he characterised as “anti-science and anti-vaccine messaging” within elements of the MAHA movement.

“Industry will view this pick as extremely troublesome and FDA career staff will continue to flee the agency,” Meekins said. “Any progress made since Makary’s departure is likely to be immediately reversed if she is confirmed.”

CDC Leadership Update

Earlier this month, the US Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making her the public health agency’s first permanent leader in nearly a year after months of uncertainty.

The Senate approved her nomination in a 51-44 vote on August 5.