When the 31-year-old Scotland-based woman, and a BBC-journalist Hazel Martin went to the doctor's complaining about her tiredness, she was unaware of the underlying reason. After the blood test, she was suggested for a liver scan, and it turned out that she was at a high risk of developing a liver disease. The doctors warned her that if she drank any more, she could also die, reported BBC.

However, she never drank regularly. "I didn’t drink every day, I never drank alone, and I drank because I enjoyed it as a social activity, not because I felt alcohol-dependent,” she said. What the doctor described was as binge drinking. As per doctors and experts, binge drinking with a weekly consumption of less than 14 units in a week will increase one's risk of liver disease.

For women, it is around six units of alcohol in one sitting, which is equivalent to two large glasses of wine. In the UK, while the problem is bigger for men, women under the age of 45 are also dying due to alcohol-related liver diseases (ARLD) as per the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures from 2001-22. In the US, every 1 in 4 women has engaged in binge drinking.

How to Diagnose?

A fibroscan, a non-invasive ultrasound, is performed to measure liver stiffness. A reading of 7 kPa (a unit used to measure the level of oxygen in the blood) or below is considered normal. For Hazel, the reading came out at 10.2.

What Is Binge Drinking?

It is also known as social drinking or casual drinking. As per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), binge drinking is a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%—or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter—or more.

NIAAA prescribes that for men, 5 drinks within 2 hours, and for women it is 4 drinks in about the same time, described as the limit. For teens and youth, the number of drinks for girls is 3 and 5 for boys.

Is It Common?

As per the 2023 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, about 61.4 million people in the United States aged between 12 and older report binge drinking. The number, however in teens and preteens is decreasing. Similarly, the number of people in the young adults category between 18 to 25 is also decreasing, but it still remains high, at 28.7%. For older adults, people at the age of 65 and older report binge drinking.

Health Impact

Binge drinking can have many negative impacts on your health, including blackouts and overdoses. It is also associated with unsafe sexual behaviour and risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintentional pregnancy. Binge drinking is also one of the leading reasons for deaths by falls, burns, drownings, and car crashes.

Some studies say that even one episode of binge drinking can dysfunctional one's immune system and lead to acute pancreatitis- inflammation of the pancreas. Alcohol misuse can also lead to chronic liver diseases, and cancers, which may also spread to the head and neck. It is also a leading cause of oesophagal, colorectal or breast cancer.

As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 1,78,000 deaths in the US that resulted from excessive alcohol use between 2020 and 2021. Of these, 1/3 of deaths were caused by binge drinking.

Binge drinking can also influence adolescent years. Research suggests that repeated episodes of binge drinking during the teen years can hinder the development of the brain and lead to deficits in social, attention, memory and other cognitive functions.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society offers critical insight into the biological mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata, have identified a key trigger that accelerates the progression of this widespread disease: the structural protein collagen I.

A Rising Global Health Crisis

Type 2 diabetes currently affects over 500 million people worldwide, and numbers are expected to rise sharply in the coming decades. The disease is primarily driven by a combination of genetics, lifestyle factors, and complex cellular mechanisms. At its core lies the dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells, the insulin-producing cells responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.

As diabetes develops, β-cells either fail to produce enough insulin or the body’s cells become resistant to it. A lesser-known yet crucial hormone, amylin, is also secreted by these β-cells and plays a vital role in managing blood sugar after meals. However, in diabetic conditions, excessive amylin production leads to misfolding and toxic clumping, which damages β-cells and accelerates disease progression.

Collagen I Accelerates Amylin Clumping

In the latest study, the research team pinpointed fibrillar collagen I, a common component of the extracellular matrix, as a key factor driving the toxic aggregation of amylin. Found abundantly in connective tissues like skin and bones, collagen I is also present in the pancreatic environment—particularly in diabetic tissues where it is elevated.

“Every tissue is composed of cells and an extracellular matrix that provides structural support. In diabetic pancreatic tissue, this matrix, especially collagen I, becomes more prominent,” explained Prof. Shamik Sen, the study’s lead investigator from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT Bombay.

The researchers discovered that collagen I acts like a scaffold or platform, accelerating the misfolding and aggregation of amylin, which in turn damages β-cells. This discovery adds a new layer to understanding why the disease worsens over time, even with treatments targeting cellular pathways.

Biophysical Evidence Supports Findings

To investigate how collagen I interacts with amylin, the team used a suite of advanced biophysical tools. These included surface plasmon resonance to measure binding strength, atomic force microscopy to study molecular adhesion, thioflavin T fluorescence to track aggregation speed, and NMR spectroscopy to identify interacting regions of the molecules.

“Amylin almost coats the collagen fibres, forming stable, toxic aggregates that cells struggle to clear,” said Prof. Sen. The behavior of amylin on collagen fibres resembled trains moving on tracks—quickly and with destructive momentum.

Computer simulations by Prof. Prasenjit Bhaumik’s group at IIT Bombay confirmed that fibrillar collagen I accelerates the toxic aggregation process, offering further validation of the molecular interaction.

Biological Evidence from Mouse and Human Tissues

The team extended their study to biological samples from diabetic mice and humans. With the help of Prof. Hamim Zafar and Prof. Sai Prasad Pydi from IIT Kanpur, and Dr. Sankhadeep Dutta from CNCI, they analyzed single-cell data and tissue architecture.

The findings were striking: as diabetes progressed, both collagen and amylin levels rose, accompanied by damage to pancreatic islets—clusters of cells that house insulin-producing β-cells.

Testing the Combined Effect on Cells

To test the functional impact, the researchers grew lab-engineered β-cells on collagen gels containing amylin. These cells showed increased oxidative stress, reduced insulin production, and higher rates of cell death, compared to controls grown without collagen or amylin.

This suggests that the extracellular environment, particularly collagen I, plays a central role in worsening β-cell dysfunction in diabetes.

The findings could explain why many diabetes treatments fall short—they overlook the external microenvironment contributing to disease progression. “Unless we disrupt the interaction between amylin and collagen, we may not be able to eliminate the toxic pancreatic environment,” said Prof. Sen.

Looking ahead, the team is working on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) models to visualize how amylin and collagen interact at the molecular level. They are also exploring 3D tissue engineering strategies to restore pancreatic function by replicating healthy extracellular conditions.

As wildfires become an all-too-familiar headline across the globe, their visible devastation—scorched forests, lost homes, and displaced communities—often overshadows a more insidious threat: the impact of wildfire smoke on human health. While the immediate dangers of flames and evacuations are clear, a new study published in Nature Medicine reveals that wildfire smoke does far more than irritate eyes and throats. It can fundamentally alter the immune system, potentially making people more susceptible to illness long after the smoke has cleared.

The study, led by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that people exposed to wildfire smoke exhibit changes in gene expression and immune function, even if they’re otherwise healthy. This suggests that the health consequences of wildfires may extend far beyond the immediate coughing, wheezing, and watery eyes that so many experience during fire season.

How Smoke Alters Immunity?

The research, led by Dr. Kari Nadeau of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, provides the most detailed look yet at how wildfire smoke affects the body on a cellular level. By analyzing blood samples from 31 firefighters and civilians exposed to wildfire smoke and comparing them to 29 unexposed individuals, the study uncovered a complex web of immune changes.

People exposed to wildfire smoke showed a marked increase in memory immune cells—cells that typically provide long-term immunity. At first glance, this might seem beneficial, but the study also found elevated biomarkers of inflammation and immune activity, as well as changes in dozens of genes linked to allergies and asthma. In short, the immune system was not just activated—it was thrown into overdrive, potentially increasing vulnerability to illness.

Dr. Mary Johnson, the study’s lead researcher, explains, “Our findings demonstrate that the immune system is extremely sensitive to environmental exposures like fire smoke, even in healthy individuals. Knowing exactly how may help us detect immune dysfunction from smoke exposure earlier and could pave the way for new therapeutics to mitigate, or prevent altogether, the health effects of smoke exposure and environmental contaminants.”

What’s in Wildfire Smoke?

Wildfire smoke is a toxic brew. It contains:

• Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
• Toxic gases
• Heavy metals
• “Forever chemicals” like PFAS
• Cancer-causing compounds

The ultra-fine PM2.5 particles are particularly dangerous. At less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, they are 28 times smaller than the width of a human hair and can be inhaled deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and affect organs throughout the body.

“These findings suggest that even short-term exposure to wildfire smoke can act as a biological stressor with long-lasting effects,” said Dr. Mary Johnson, lead researcher and environmental health scientist at Harvard. “That’s especially concerning as wildfire seasons grow longer and smoke plumes travel farther.”

What are the Genetic Impacts of Wildfires?

One of the most striking findings of the study was the alteration of 133 genes related to allergies and asthma in those exposed to wildfire smoke. This genetic shift may help explain why people living in wildfire-prone areas often report more respiratory problems, even months after the fires have ended.

The study also found that smoke-exposed individuals had more immune cells affected by toxic metals, further increasing inflammation and the risk of immune dysfunction. These changes may make people more susceptible to infections, worsen existing respiratory conditions, and potentially contribute to the development of new allergies or asthma.

The United States, particularly western states like California, has witnessed a dramatic increase in wildfire frequency and severity. In 2023 alone, California experienced over 7,000 wildfires, with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection responding to nearly 590,000 related emergencies. The devastating January 2025 fire in Los Angeles County, which claimed 30 lives and scorched 40,000 acres, underscored the deadly toll of these disasters.

Climate change is a major driver, creating hotter, drier conditions that fuel longer and more intense fire seasons. As wildfires become more common, understanding and mitigating the health risks of smoke exposure is more urgent than ever.

What are the Immediate and Long-Term Health Effects?

Wildfire smoke can trigger a range of symptoms, from burning eyes and runny noses to persistent coughs and breathing difficulties. For people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, COPD, or eczema, exposure can lead to dangerous flare-ups.

But the risks extend beyond the lungs. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation throughout the body. Studies have linked wildfire smoke to increased emergency room visits for heart attacks and coronary heart disease within 24 hours of exposure. There is also emerging evidence that PM2.5 can impair cognitive functions such as memory and attention, likely by inducing inflammation in the brain.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family?

Experts emphasize the need for proactive measures as wildfire season peaks:

• Stay indoors when smoke levels are high. Keep windows closed and seal gaps in doors.
• Use HEPA-grade air purifiers to reduce indoor particle pollution.
• Wear a certified N95 mask when outdoors, especially if you’re in a smoke-affected region.
• Monitor air quality via apps or government alerts, such as AirNow.gov.
• Avoid outdoor exercise when AQI levels are poor; opt for indoor alternatives instead.
• Keep emergency medications handy, especially for people with asthma or heart conditions.

If evacuation orders are issued, follow them promptly—not just for safety from flames, but from the health threats the smoke carries.

As wildfires continue to reshape landscapes and communities, their invisible legacy—on our immune systems and overall health—demands urgent attention. The message from scientists is clear: wildfire smoke is not just an environmental nuisance, but a profound health hazard that can affect anyone, anywhere the wind blows. Proactive measures, informed guidelines, and continued research are essential to protect public health in an increasingly fiery world.

Recent years have seen a rapid rise in kids vaping all over the world. A popular habit among young teens as well as young adults, vaping is the act of inhaling aerosol from electronic cigarettes or vape. But this popular habit has cost the health and well-being of this 24-year-old, who took to social media to warn people about this habit, as reported by the People.

“I Have Been Vaping Since The Age Of 12”

A young man is taking to social media with a serious warning for anyone who uses e-cigarettes. He claims that vaping caused him to suffer a heart attack at just 24 years old and has led to lasting lung damage. Through a series of TikTok videos, Jacob Temple from Kentucky is urging people to quit vaping right away.

Temple, who started vaping at age 12, now says his lungs are like those of a 70-year-old man. He explained that he has permanent scarring on part of his lungs, meaning he can never fully inflate or deflate them again. "It feels like I’m breathing through a straw constantly, always, just never getting enough air and there’s nothing that can be done," he shared. This damage means he'll forever feel like he's not getting enough oxygen.

Lung Damage As Well As Suffering Heart Health

Temple also revealed that his vaping habit directly led to a "minor" heart attack, specifically an anterior myocardial infarction. He described the terrifying experience, saying, "My whole body was fighting to stay alive at a certain point." While the physical damage to his lungs can't be fixed, he hopes his story will motivate others to stop vaping before it's too late for them.

Temple admits he still has "good days and bad days." On some days, he can be active with the help of his rescue inhaler. However, on other days, he can barely function and struggles to sleep. He reflected on his past habit, saying, "It was fun while it lasted, but now I am paying for it dearly." His struggle highlights the long-term, painful consequences of what might seem like a harmless habit.

Research Warns Against Vaping

In a 2021 BMJ Case Reports study, researchers explored the link between vaping spontaneous pneumothorax, which is when air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall, causing the lung to collapse. They also presented a case study of a A 34-year-old man, who was a healthy weight, came to the emergency room struggling to breathe and experiencing back pain for a full day.

An X-ray of his chest showed a large collapsed lung on his right side. He had quit regular cigarettes three years prior and switched entirely to vaping. A more detailed CT scan revealed bullae (air-filled sacs) in his lungs, and he had to undergo surgery to remove part of his lung. Lab tests on the removed tissue showed mild inflammation.

There are many other studies like the same, prompting researchers and healthcare professionals to issue warnings.

Temple’s case is not an isolated incident; there are many who have suffered the same fate.

How To Quit Vaping?

According to Heart Organization, quitting smoking or vaping for good can seem tough, but it's totally possible. Just take it one step at a time. Here are five easy steps to help you on your journey to a healthier life.

Pick Your "Quit Day" and Make a Promise

Choose a day within the next week when you'll completely stop. This is your "Quit Day"! Promise yourself and tell supportive friends you're quitting. Slowly cut down before this day.

Choose How You'll Quit

You have options: go "cold turkey" and stop all at once, or cut down slowly each day. For example, reduce cigarettes from 20 to 10, then 5. Or take fewer puffs from each one.

Talk to Your Doctor About Help

Speak with your doctor. They can tell you if medicines or other support tools, like patches or gum, would make quitting easier for you. Get their personalized advice to help you succeed.

Plan for Your Quit Day and Beyond

Get ready for your Quit Day! Have healthy snacks ready, like fruits or gum. Plan fun activities to keep busy when you feel like smoking. Try a walk, movie, or new hobby to keep your hands busy.