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09.27.24

I'm really enjoying answering your questions for our Dr. Sanjay Gupta On Call segments. This week, we got to dig into the latest information on the nonalcoholic drink craze — and I must say, it's exciting to see this increase in alternatives to alcohol. You can read more about those beverages and their health benefits below, but first, this week's health headlines ...

— Sanjay

You may have an iron deficiency and not even know it

A large proportion of adults in the United States — nearly 1 in 3 — may have one of two forms of iron deficiency, even if they don't have a health condition for which they would be screened for it, such as anemia, heart failure or chronic kidney disease, a new study suggests.

Iron is a mineral essential for maintaining many of the body's functions and development, and the body uses iron to make a protein in red blood cells called hemoglobin. Iron deficiency has been tied to restless leg syndrome, fatigue, hair loss, heart failure and other adverse outcomes, including anemia, in which the blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body's tissues.

An estimated 14% of adults in the study met the criteria for absolute iron deficiency, which results from a severe reduction or absence of iron stores in the body, and about 15% met the criteria for functional iron deficiency, which happens when there are adequate iron stores but they aren't mobilized enough to sufficiently support the body.

Iron deficiency can be prevented or treated by using iron pills, intravenous iron infusions or nonprescription iron supplements or by including iron-rich foods in the diet, such as lean meats, seafood, nuts, beans, lentils and spinach — but the new study suggests that many people may not even know that they are deficient in iron.

Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study finds

Nearly 200 chemicals connected to breast cancer are used in the making of food packaging and plastic tableware, and dozens of those carcinogens can migrate into the human body, a new study found.

"There is strong evidence that 76 known or potential breast carcinogens from food contact materials recently purchased all over the world can be found in people," said study co-author Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, a nonprofit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, that focuses on science communication and research.

"Getting rid of these known or suspected carcinogens in our food supply is a huge opportunity for cancer prevention," Muncke said.

The Consumer Brands Association, which represents the consumer products industry, told CNN that its members adhere to the US Food and Drug Administration's evidence-based safety standards.

"Packaging exists to protect and keep food safe for consumption," said Sarah Gallo, the association's senior vice president of product policy and federal affairs, in an email.

"The FDA reviews and approves food contact substances through their science and risk-based system before they go to market," Gallo said. "The agency's post market review also provides continuous safety analysis and regulation of the approved substances."

Free Covid-19 tests are available again. Here's how to get them

People in the United States can now order more free Covid-19 tests from the federal government, as the country heads into respiratory virus season, with high levels of the coronavirus already circulating.

Each household is eligible to receive four at-home test kits, which can be requested from COVIDTests.gov. They'll be shipped for free starting next week through the US Postal Service.

The available tests also include an option with features that make it more accessible for people with disabilities affecting dexterity or vision to use. More information about ordering these tests is available at ACL.gov/AccessibleTests.

To reduce the spread of Covid-19, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who test positive stay home and away from others until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours.

1 in 3 children worldwide is now nearsighted, study shows

More than a third of children around the world were nearsighted in 2023, and this proportion will rise to almost 40% in 2050, according to new research.

Nearsightedness, or myopia, refers to when closer objects are clear, but distant objects are blurry. There has been a significant rise in the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents in the past 30 years — from 24% in 1990 to almost 36% in 2023 — according to the paper, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The researchers recommend that young people "develop the habit of regularly practising eye-protective measures."

"Students should also increase the amount of time spent on physical activity and decrease the time spent on non-active activities such as watching television and videos, playing computer games, and surfing the internet," the researchers said, calling on officials to reduce the burden of homework and tutoring on students, as well as promoting eye exams, early detection and treatment.

"Sharenting" — when parents share pictures of their kids on social media — could unwittingly expose children to dangers online. Here's how parents can minimize these risks.

But wait, there's more!

• Lawmakers push for accountability after 10th death linked to Boar's Head listeria outbreak
• Safety issues with medication abortion are extremely rare, experts emphasize
• 988 callers will now get help based on where they are, not their area code
• Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says
• Doing this for 20 seconds a day can relieve stress and anxiety

In this week's Dr. Sanjay Gupta On Call, Dr. Gupta talks about the rise in popularity of non-alcoholic drinks and how safe they may be for you and your family.

Chasing Life

From Dr. Sanjay Gupta — 

You may have heard of dry January, but how about sober October? Both are part of a growing movement to cut back on alcohol. In fact, 41% of Americans say they are trying to drink less.

And many people have been turning to nonalcoholic beverages, an industry that's exploded in recent years. These are drinks that have 0% to 0.5% alcohol and mimic the taste of beer, wine and spirits.

But because some of them still have small amounts of alcohol, some experts are pushing for age restrictions for these products.

In terms of health, I cannot overstate how much better it is for you overall to just not drink. The World Health Organization has said that when it comes to alcohol, "there is no safe amount that does not affect health."

If you decide to go with a nonalcoholic beverage, it's always good to read the label first.

Nonalcoholic beer tends to have fewer calories than alcoholic beer. But nonalcoholic beer can have a higher amount of carbs because it has more sugar.

Sugar is a big thing to look out for in mocktails too, because it's often used to compensate for the lack of alcohol.

One notable point is that 93% of those who buy nonalcoholic drinks still purchase alcohol, as well. This shows that many people may not be willing to quit drinking cold turkey, but they are willing to practice "mindful sobriety" or "intermittent sobriety."

Whether you have a mocktail or just choose water, cutting back on alcohol will always be the healthy choice.

The US government recently proposed rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug — basically signaling it has some accepted medical use and a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. But what does this mean in the real world?

CNN Health's The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows up in your

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