Sep 9, 2020 05:55 AM
The Most Common Pain Relief Drug in The World Induces Risky Behaviour, Study Suggests
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-most-co...tudy-finds
EXCERPTS: One of the most consumed drugs in the US – and the most commonly taken analgesic worldwide – could be doing a lot more than simply taking the edge off your headache, new evidence suggests. Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and sold widely under the brand names Tylenol and Panadol, also increases risk-taking, according to a new study that measured changes in people's behaviour when under the influence of the common over-the-counter medication.
[...] The findings add to a recent body of research suggesting that acetaminophen's effects on pain reduction also extend to various psychological processes, lowering people's receptivity to hurt feelings, experiencing reduced empathy, and even blunting cognitive functions.
In a similar way, the new research suggests people's affective ability to perceive and evaluate risks can be impaired when they take acetaminophen. While the effects might be slight, they're definitely worth noting, given acetaminophen is the most common drug ingredient in America, found in over 600 different kinds of over-the-counter and prescription medicines. [...] The findings are reported in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience... (MORE - details)
Vitamin D deficiency can increase risk of COVID-19 ... D may enhance cell immunity
https://www.news-medical.net/news/202009...ID-19.aspx
EXCERPTS: Researchers from Israel have found that there could be a link between deficiency of vitamin D and infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Their study titled, “The link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 in a large population,” has been released pre-publication at the medRxiv* server.
[...] There have been some recent studies that connect vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19 infection and severe disease due to the infection. Studies have shown that in countries where there are higher rates of vitamin D deficiency, there is also a greater prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Israeli researchers who conducted this study write that the general population of Israel has been “so far relatively spared by the pandemic”...
[...] They, however, noted that the rates of infection were higher (3.03 percent) in the Jewish ultra-orthodox population and 1.4 percent among the Arab communities. In these communities, the male-to-female ratio is also varied, they wrote. Among Arab communities, women were far more affected than men (1:1.5 – men: women) and in the ultra-orthodox, men were more affected (1.25:1 – men: women)
Explaining these gender differences, the team writes that the lifestyles and clothing of these communities could allow for a difference in Vitamin d levels among men and women. They wrote that there had been studies showing severe vitamin D deficiency being endemic and common among Arab women. This could be a clue regarding their higher risk of getting COVID-19, the team writes.
[...] Results revealed a significant connection between the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 incidence. This was significant for the female to male ratio for severe vitamin D deficiency, the team found. They wrote, “In the matched cohort, we found a significant association between low vitamin D levels and the risk of Covid-19, with the highest risk observed for severe vitamin D deficiency.” They wrote, “We found a highly significant positive correlation between the proportion of females affected by severe vitamin D deficiency and SARS-CoV-2 incidence, both across the different groups”.
Those that took vitamin D supplements as drops over the last 4 months were found to be protected from the infection. [...] taking the supplements could protect from the infection and reduce incidence among those living in the same geographical regions.
[...] The risk was highest among those living in communities with a higher prevalence of the deficiency [...The authors...] added that to date it had been seen that “northerly latitude is associated with higher mortality rate and hospitalization rate for COVID-19 worldwide”. Vitamin D levels could play a role in this association, as well. They speculated that viruses like the coronavirus could “disrupt the cell junction integrity,” which Vitamin D could help maintain. They added that Vitamin D could help enhance the innate cellular immunity and thus protect from the infection... (MORE - details)
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-most-co...tudy-finds
EXCERPTS: One of the most consumed drugs in the US – and the most commonly taken analgesic worldwide – could be doing a lot more than simply taking the edge off your headache, new evidence suggests. Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and sold widely under the brand names Tylenol and Panadol, also increases risk-taking, according to a new study that measured changes in people's behaviour when under the influence of the common over-the-counter medication.
[...] The findings add to a recent body of research suggesting that acetaminophen's effects on pain reduction also extend to various psychological processes, lowering people's receptivity to hurt feelings, experiencing reduced empathy, and even blunting cognitive functions.
In a similar way, the new research suggests people's affective ability to perceive and evaluate risks can be impaired when they take acetaminophen. While the effects might be slight, they're definitely worth noting, given acetaminophen is the most common drug ingredient in America, found in over 600 different kinds of over-the-counter and prescription medicines. [...] The findings are reported in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience... (MORE - details)
Vitamin D deficiency can increase risk of COVID-19 ... D may enhance cell immunity
https://www.news-medical.net/news/202009...ID-19.aspx
EXCERPTS: Researchers from Israel have found that there could be a link between deficiency of vitamin D and infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Their study titled, “The link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 in a large population,” has been released pre-publication at the medRxiv* server.
[...] There have been some recent studies that connect vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19 infection and severe disease due to the infection. Studies have shown that in countries where there are higher rates of vitamin D deficiency, there is also a greater prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Israeli researchers who conducted this study write that the general population of Israel has been “so far relatively spared by the pandemic”...
[...] They, however, noted that the rates of infection were higher (3.03 percent) in the Jewish ultra-orthodox population and 1.4 percent among the Arab communities. In these communities, the male-to-female ratio is also varied, they wrote. Among Arab communities, women were far more affected than men (1:1.5 – men: women) and in the ultra-orthodox, men were more affected (1.25:1 – men: women)
Explaining these gender differences, the team writes that the lifestyles and clothing of these communities could allow for a difference in Vitamin d levels among men and women. They wrote that there had been studies showing severe vitamin D deficiency being endemic and common among Arab women. This could be a clue regarding their higher risk of getting COVID-19, the team writes.
[...] Results revealed a significant connection between the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 incidence. This was significant for the female to male ratio for severe vitamin D deficiency, the team found. They wrote, “In the matched cohort, we found a significant association between low vitamin D levels and the risk of Covid-19, with the highest risk observed for severe vitamin D deficiency.” They wrote, “We found a highly significant positive correlation between the proportion of females affected by severe vitamin D deficiency and SARS-CoV-2 incidence, both across the different groups”.
Those that took vitamin D supplements as drops over the last 4 months were found to be protected from the infection. [...] taking the supplements could protect from the infection and reduce incidence among those living in the same geographical regions.
[...] The risk was highest among those living in communities with a higher prevalence of the deficiency [...The authors...] added that to date it had been seen that “northerly latitude is associated with higher mortality rate and hospitalization rate for COVID-19 worldwide”. Vitamin D levels could play a role in this association, as well. They speculated that viruses like the coronavirus could “disrupt the cell junction integrity,” which Vitamin D could help maintain. They added that Vitamin D could help enhance the innate cellular immunity and thus protect from the infection... (MORE - details)