Science
Kids And Prescriptions
Jul 29th
The New Fix-Its
U.S. teens are abusing illegal drugs such as marijuana less, but abuse of legal prescription drugs is rising, according to a new study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. However, an increase in abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications has left anti-drug campaigners confused as to how to combat the problem of legal drugs. Nearly one in 10 high school seniors reported using the prescription painkiller Vicodin without a prescription, while roughly one in 20 said they had used Oxycontin without a prescription. Overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs accounted for about one-quarter of the 1.3 million drug-related emergency room admissions in 2004. Some kids are self-medicating undiagnosed depression or anxiety, while others are using stimulants to try to get an edge on tests and studying. Sadly, prescription drugs are familiar mood-altering substances for a generation that grew up as prescriptions soared for Ritalin and other stimulants to treat maladies such as attention-deficit disorder. A staggering five million kids take prescription drugs every day for behavior disorders. Pharmaceutical companies’ production of two often-abused prescription drugs — hydrocodone and oxycodone, the active ingredients in drugs such as Vicodin and OxyContin — has risen dramatically as the drugs’ popularity for legitimate uses has increased. To try to reduce the supply of prescription drugs on the black market, authorities have shut down several “pill mills” — where doctors prescribe inordinate amounts of narcotics — as well as Internet pharmacies that ship drugs with little medical consultation, says Catherine Harnett, chief of demand reduction for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Essentially what is most important is not locking up the narcotics it is better parenting and more involvement.
More Drinking…Less Maleness.
Jul 20th
Too much drinking? Not performing?
Chronic heavy drinking is bad for you, we all know this, but if you’re a man, have you heard that heavy regular drinking might also make you less able to perform???!!! Studies have shown that when consumed in binge amounts, some men may react by showing a temporary surge in testosterone levels; a hormonal jump that may well in part explain drunken aggression. In general though, heavy, lengthy and regular use of alcohol has a diminishing effect on testosterone levels. Heavy regular alcohol use robs men of normal testosterone levels, which causes a number of negative health effects.
The Consequences of Lowered Testosterone Levels Include:
- Fatigue
- A decrease in sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- Weight gain (fat gain, especially around the mid section)
- A loss of lean muscle
- Irritability
- Body hair loss
- A decrease in bone mass and a resultant increase in the risks of breaks and fractures
- Depression
- Male breasts
- Shrinking testes
- An increase in certain cardiovascular disease risks (men with very low testosterone levels are at a very high risk of heart attack)
Lab tests examining the impact of chronic drinking on testosterone levels have found that as little as 5 days of consecutive binge drinking will cause a lingering fall in testosterone in the body. So while social norms may seem to demand heavy drinking in certain male focused environments, heavy drinking actually reduces the maleness of those selfsame participants!
If, after a diagnosis of low testosterone levels, you find yourself still drinking alcohol at anything above a very minimal amount and infrequently, you may need to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol – after all, continuing to drink even knowing the harms that alcohol does to your body, is a hallmark sign of an alcohol problem.
Too Skinny….How Does It Happen?
Jul 9th
How does this happen?
Anorexia is a complex disease, with myriad causes that range from culture to environment to—as recent studies have shown—genetics. Having a predisposition for anorexia means that a simple decision to diet away those last five pounds triggers something (it’s unclear as to what) that could lead you down a slippery slope. The drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one’s body. The individual continues the endless cycle of restrictive eating, often accompanied by other behaviors such as excessive exercising or the overuse of diet pills, diuretics, laxatives, and/or enemas in order to reduce body weight, often to a point close to starvation in order to feel a sense of control over his or her body. This cycle becomes an obsession and, in this way, is similar to any type of addiction. Studies suggest that a genetic (inherited) component may play a more significant role in determining a person’s susceptibility to anorexia than was previously thought. Researchers are currently attempting to identify the particular gene or genes that might affect a person’s tendency to develop this disorder, and preliminary studies suggest that a gene located at chromosome 1p seems to be involved in determining a person’ s susceptibility to anorexia nervosa. Anorexia could be caused by a genetic brain disorder shared by sufferers of autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Noticeably sufferers of anorexia share traits with people who have autism, such as an inability to change rules they have set themselves, perfectionism and a tendency to fixate on details. A few sources suggest that anorexics are addicted to fasting, apparently because of the chemical changes brought on by starvation. The opioids, enkephalins and endorphins are found to be at elevated levels in the spinal fluid of patients with anorexia.
Studies show that 20% of those affected by anorexia die directly from complications surrounding the disorder. It is lethal, however, there is help and there is a solution it takes a lifetime of change but the only way for those suffering from anorexia to gain the control they are looking for is to admit the powerlessness over their disorder and behaviors.
Not Seeing Clearly
Jun 30th
Warped Perception
What are the contributing factors of an eating disorder? Even the slimmest women have, on occasion, stood in front of the mirror and asked: “Does this dress make me look fat?” No matter who you are at some point you have been your own worst critic. Why do we do this to ourselves and what drives body dysmorphia? Scientists have discovered that the body image a person projects in their own brain is “massively distorted” and can be up to two thirds wider than it is in reality. The brain’s own “body model” is also around a third shorter than the body actually is, according to the study at University College London. Researchers believe the findings could explain why slim women look in the mirror and see themselves as fat. They may also help explain the cause of some eating disorders.
Dr Michael Longo, a neuroscientist is a leader in brain research, said: “These findings may well be relevant to psychiatric conditions involving body image such as anorexia, as there may be a general bias towards perceiving the body to be wider than it is.” He also says,“Some people look in the mirror and receive information which tells them they are not fat, but they still can’t use that to over-ride their distorted body model and make themselves believe it.”
The scientists had subjects place their hands under a board and relay where specific landmarks such as knuckles and fingertips were. In doing so people were warped in their sense of size. Scientists believe the distortion stems from the number of sensory signals being sent to the brain from different parts of the skin. The brain’s warped “model” of the hand could be conveyed to the rest of the body, therefore adding to the beginnings or bolstering feelings of negative body image. For instance, if I am walking around feeling shorter and fatter than I really am these findings are saying that I am way off in my judgement. Surprisingly, researchers found that subjects could pick their accurate hand size from other templates. Therefore, researchers believe this shows that people have an accurate visual image of their own body but are still unable to use that information to over-ride the “brain model” which tells them they are larger.
Running Away From Unhealthy Behaviors
Jun 25th
Drug abuse changes all aspects of an individual’s life. There are so many detrimental behaviors that become ingrained throughout active addiction, one of which is inactivity. Moreover whatever healthy aspects of an addict’s life are overshadowed by the atrocious amounts of toxins in their system. Therefore it is crucial in sobriety to be active and healthy, in fact, it may be able to reverse or at least improve some of the damage done. Scientists have known for some time that exercise sparks growth of new brain cells in mice, particularly in the hippocampus, the area related to memory and learning. They recently also found that it boosts the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which stimulates the rate at which nerve cells bind to create new pathways, increasing the brain’s storage capacity. Getting your body in motion gets your mind moving—both enhancing mental agility in the short term and protecting against cognitive decline in the long term.
Running for A Healthy Mind
The best brain-boosting results come from heart-rate-raising exertion—specifically, running. In a study conducted by Charles Hillman, PhD, and published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, when subjects were given memory tests both before and after 30-minute bouts of running on a treadmill, lifting weights, or sitting quietly, those who ran were significantly quicker and more accurate on the second round of tests, while the others demonstrated no change at all.
“Other types of exercise, such as yoga, might have a stress-reducing meditative component,” Baker says, “but it’s aerobic exercise that seems to make the most difference to the brain.”
There are a few theories as to why this might be: One is that dramatic changes in blood flow could bring more growth factors to the brain from other parts of the body, helping to limber up connection-forming neurons, whereas with an activity such as weight-lifting, those growth factors are likely to remain in the muscles. Another is that it improves energy metabolism, ensuring that the noggin receives sufficient glucose and fuel. And a third is that it literally clears out the gunk that makes us dullwitted. Evidently, our brains, similar to our hearts, teeth, and lifestyle can suffer from a buildup of bad stuff. Getting regular exercise over time can increase both gray and white matter in the brain and make a huge difference in how well you process and track information, stay on task, and allocate your mental resources. Considering that addicts and alcoholics have had time depleting those resources it’s about time to put all that new found energy in sobriety to good use.