A little about: Weekly Gravy

All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Caffeine Bad News For Blood Donations, Study Says

By | | Add a Comment

Your morning cup of coffee might harm the quality of a blood donation provided later in the day, a new study says. Caffeine appears to impair donated blood in ways that reduce the effectiveness of future transfusions, researchers report in the journal Haemotologica. Specifically, they found that red blood cells are more prone to damage during storage when there are high levels of caffeine in a blood donation. Further, results showed that transfusions of caffeine-laden blood resulted in lower increases in patients’ levels of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for delivering oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. There also were greater signs of red blood cell breakdown among transfused patients, researchers said. As many as 75% of Americans regularly consume caffeine, raising important questions regarding the quality of U.S. blood supply, researchers said. “We’ve long understood caffeine’s effects on the brain and central nervous system, but this is the first large-scale study to demonstrate its impact on red blood cell biology,” senior researcher Angelo D’Alessandro, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a news release. “These findings suggest that something as common as your morning cup of coffee could have important implications for the quality of stored blood and how well it works when transfused into patients,” D’Alessandro said. For the new study, researchers analyzed samples…  read on >  read on >

Caffeine Bad News For Blood Donations, Study Says

By | | Add a Comment

Your morning cup of coffee might harm the quality of a blood donation provided later in the day, a new study says. Caffeine appears to impair donated blood in ways that reduce the effectiveness of future transfusions, researchers report in the journal Haemotologica. Specifically, they found that red blood cells are more prone to damage during storage when there are high levels of caffeine in a blood donation. Further, results showed that transfusions of caffeine-laden blood resulted in lower increases in patients’ levels of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for delivering oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. There also were greater signs of red blood cell breakdown among transfused patients, researchers said. As many as 75% of Americans regularly consume caffeine, raising important questions regarding the quality of U.S. blood supply, researchers said. “We’ve long understood caffeine’s effects on the brain and central nervous system, but this is the first large-scale study to demonstrate its impact on red blood cell biology,” senior researcher Angelo D’Alessandro, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a news release. “These findings suggest that something as common as your morning cup of coffee could have important implications for the quality of stored blood and how well it works when transfused into patients,” D’Alessandro said. For the new study, researchers analyzed samples…  read on >  read on >

Inactive Parents Tend To Have Couch Potato Kids

By | | Add a Comment

Kids are more likely to become couch potatoes — or enthusiastically active — based on what they see their parents doing day-to-day, a new study says. The example set by moms and dads appears to contribute to sedentary or active behavior in their children, researchers report in the journal Sports Medicine and Health Science. “Parents’ level of physical activity can directly influence their children’s habits,” said senior researcher Diego Christofaro, a professor in the Department of Sport Sciences at São Paulo State University in Brazil. “In other words, when parents maintain a more active routine, their children are less likely to remain seated for long periods,” he said in a news release. For the study, researchers tracked the physical movement of 182 6- to 17-year-olds for one week, as well as 161 moms and 136 dads. Results showed that children of inactive parents tended to be more sedentary. The reverse was also true — active moms and dads had kids who followed suit. Mothers tended to have more influence over their kid’s physical activity than fathers, researchers found. In fact, moms’ influence was more than twice that of dads. These results held even after they were adjusted for other factors like the family’s socioeconomic status, parents’ education and the children’s sex and age. Physically active or sports-minded parents likely understand the benefits of exercise and…  read on >  read on >

Inactive Parents Tend To Have Couch Potato Kids

By | | Add a Comment

Kids are more likely to become couch potatoes — or enthusiastically active — based on what they see their parents doing day-to-day, a new study says. The example set by moms and dads appears to contribute to sedentary or active behavior in their children, researchers report in the journal Sports Medicine and Health Science. “Parents’ level of physical activity can directly influence their children’s habits,” said senior researcher Diego Christofaro, a professor in the Department of Sport Sciences at São Paulo State University in Brazil. “In other words, when parents maintain a more active routine, their children are less likely to remain seated for long periods,” he said in a news release. For the study, researchers tracked the physical movement of 182 6- to 17-year-olds for one week, as well as 161 moms and 136 dads. Results showed that children of inactive parents tended to be more sedentary. The reverse was also true — active moms and dads had kids who followed suit. Mothers tended to have more influence over their kid’s physical activity than fathers, researchers found. In fact, moms’ influence was more than twice that of dads. These results held even after they were adjusted for other factors like the family’s socioeconomic status, parents’ education and the children’s sex and age. Physically active or sports-minded parents likely understand the benefits of exercise and…  read on >  read on >

Arthritis Drug Might Have Additional Heart-Healthy Benefit

By | | Add a Comment

A common rheumatoid arthritis drug appears to also lower blood pressure, potentially reducing patients’ risk of heart disease, a new study says. Methotrexate significantly lowered blood pressure compared to another arthritis drug called sulfasalazine, researchers reported recently in the Annals of Medicine. “We found that methotrexate lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.4 mm/Hg compared with people taking sulfasalazine,” said lead researcher Arduino Mangoni, a strategic professor of clinical pharmacology with Flinders University in Australia. “This kind of reduction is considered meaningful because even a small drop in blood pressure can lower the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes,” he said in a news release. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in about 1 in 100 people, researchers said in background notes. It’s an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the immune system attacks a person’s joints, causing pain and swelling. For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 62 newly diagnosed RA patients to receive regular injections of either methotrexate or sulfasalazine. After six months, people receiving methotrexate had significantly lower systolic blood pressure. Systolic is the pressure in the blood vessels during a heart beat. It’s the top number in a blood pressure reading. Researchers found that this benefit did not appear linked to either improvements in a person’s arthritis symptoms or the stiffness of their arteries. That means the drug might…  read on >  read on >

Arthritis Drug Might Have Additional Heart-Healthy Benefit

By | | Add a Comment

A common rheumatoid arthritis drug appears to also lower blood pressure, potentially reducing patients’ risk of heart disease, a new study says. Methotrexate significantly lowered blood pressure compared to another arthritis drug called sulfasalazine, researchers reported recently in the Annals of Medicine. “We found that methotrexate lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.4 mm/Hg compared with people taking sulfasalazine,” said lead researcher Arduino Mangoni, a strategic professor of clinical pharmacology with Flinders University in Australia. “This kind of reduction is considered meaningful because even a small drop in blood pressure can lower the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes,” he said in a news release. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in about 1 in 100 people, researchers said in background notes. It’s an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the immune system attacks a person’s joints, causing pain and swelling. For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 62 newly diagnosed RA patients to receive regular injections of either methotrexate or sulfasalazine. After six months, people receiving methotrexate had significantly lower systolic blood pressure. Systolic is the pressure in the blood vessels during a heart beat. It’s the top number in a blood pressure reading. Researchers found that this benefit did not appear linked to either improvements in a person’s arthritis symptoms or the stiffness of their arteries. That means the drug might…  read on >  read on >

LSD A Potential Therapy For Anxiety, Early Clinical Trial Results Say

By | | Add a Comment

“Flower power” psychedelic drugs might be a potential cure for modern anxiety, new research suggests. A single dose of LSD helped people suffering from clinical anxiety in a new clinical trial. Anxiety patients experienced rapid, significant and durable relief following a single treatment with MM120, an oral pharmaceutical formulation of the psychedelic drug LSD, researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their anxiety subsided within days, with the effect lasting for at least three months. These results occurred even though patients did not receive any therapy or counseling during their trip, researchers said. Instead, monitors were in the room simply to ensure their safety. “What was unique about this study was that they were administering the psychedelic without concomitant psychotherapy,” said Nehal Vadhan, co-director of the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Northwell Health in Hempstead, N.Y. “I definitely think psychedelics are a viable treatment for the future,” added Vadhan, who reviewed the findings. For the new study, a team led by Dr. Reid Robison of Cedar Clinical Research in Draper, Utah, randomly assigned 198 adults ages 18 to 74 with generalized anxiety disorder to receive one of four different doses of MM120 – 25, 50, 100 or 200 micrograms – or a placebo. The trial was intended to help determine the best LSD dose to use in larger-scale and…  read on >  read on >

LSD A Potential Therapy For Anxiety, Early Clinical Trial Results Say

By | | Add a Comment

“Flower power” psychedelic drugs might be a potential cure for modern anxiety, new research suggests. A single dose of LSD helped people suffering from clinical anxiety in a new clinical trial. Anxiety patients experienced rapid, significant and durable relief following a single treatment with MM120, an oral pharmaceutical formulation of the psychedelic drug LSD, researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their anxiety subsided within days, with the effect lasting for at least three months. These results occurred even though patients did not receive any therapy or counseling during their trip, researchers said. Instead, monitors were in the room simply to ensure their safety. “What was unique about this study was that they were administering the psychedelic without concomitant psychotherapy,” said Nehal Vadhan, co-director of the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Northwell Health in Hempstead, N.Y. “I definitely think psychedelics are a viable treatment for the future,” added Vadhan, who reviewed the findings. For the new study, a team led by Dr. Reid Robison of Cedar Clinical Research in Draper, Utah, randomly assigned 198 adults ages 18 to 74 with generalized anxiety disorder to receive one of four different doses of MM120 – 25, 50, 100 or 200 micrograms – or a placebo. The trial was intended to help determine the best LSD dose to use in larger-scale and…  read on >  read on >

Exercise Boosts Men’s Mental, Sexual Health, Poll Finds

By | | Add a Comment

Most men agree that exercise provides a boost to their mental health, confidence and sex drive. However, that doesn’t mean they’re going to make it a regular habit, a new Cleveland Clinic survey says. About 30% of men do not engage in regular physical activity, according to a nationwide survey of 1,000 men 18 and older. Those who do exercise say it helps so much that they really feel it when they skip a workout, results show: 81% have lower energy or fatigue. 47% report more stress or irritability. 33% have decreased mental well-being. In addition, 61% of men said their physical fitness directly impacts their sex drive or sexual performance. “Men sometimes focus on their physical health, but mental and sexual health are just as important, and they’re all connected. When one area is off, it can affect the rest,” Dr. Petar Bajic, director of the Men’s Health Section at Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological Institute, said in a news release. “Health challenges rarely happen in isolation and understanding that connection is key,” Bajic said. “The more we break down the stigma around discussing issues like sexual performance or stress, the better equipped men are to take control of their health and get the support they need.” The survey also delved into sexual health complaints, finding that about 18% had low sexual desire in the…  read on >  read on >

Exercise Boosts Men’s Mental, Sexual Health, Poll Finds

By | | Add a Comment

Most men agree that exercise provides a boost to their mental health, confidence and sex drive. However, that doesn’t mean they’re going to make it a regular habit, a new Cleveland Clinic survey says. About 30% of men do not engage in regular physical activity, according to a nationwide survey of 1,000 men 18 and older. Those who do exercise say it helps so much that they really feel it when they skip a workout, results show: 81% have lower energy or fatigue. 47% report more stress or irritability. 33% have decreased mental well-being. In addition, 61% of men said their physical fitness directly impacts their sex drive or sexual performance. “Men sometimes focus on their physical health, but mental and sexual health are just as important, and they’re all connected. When one area is off, it can affect the rest,” Dr. Petar Bajic, director of the Men’s Health Section at Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological Institute, said in a news release. “Health challenges rarely happen in isolation and understanding that connection is key,” Bajic said. “The more we break down the stigma around discussing issues like sexual performance or stress, the better equipped men are to take control of their health and get the support they need.” The survey also delved into sexual health complaints, finding that about 18% had low sexual desire in the…  read on >  read on >