Archive for April 17th, 2010
Valium and the risk of dependence continues
Even though there have been a wide range of drugs on the market for many years derived from the benzodiazepines, the research into their character and performance continues apace. This does not mean the drugs are any less safe than when they were first introduced more than fifty years ago. It simply reflects the genuine desire to improve their performance. The key problem remains the need to limit time. No matter how effective the drug may be, there is a real risk of psychological or physical dependence if people take the drug at too high a dosage or over too long a period of time. Why is this? The reason is that, in the same way as cannabis and the more powerful heroin affect the chemistry of the brain, so the benzodiazepines offer chemical rewards to the pleasure centers of the brain. Researchers in the US and Switzerland have recently released the results of study into the precise mechanism at work. We have long known that the benzodiazepines affect the level of the neurotransmitter called Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA). As the amount of GABA increases, this triggers the release of dopamine, which is a so-called gratification hormone. It makes us feel good. It rewards us for taking the pill and encourages us to repeat the activity. In this, the benzodiazepines are working in exactly the same way as the addictive street drugs. However, the latest research pinpoints a specific receptor in the GABA’s chemical structure. For the technically minded, this is called the Alpha1 Sub-Unit of the GABA Type A Receptor.
You are now all saying, “So what?” In fact, this is a very big “what”. For the last fifty and more years, we have had to limit our uses of some very valuable drugs. Suppose we can tweak the benzodiazepines so they bind to Alpha2, Alpha3, or to the Type B Receptor. This linkage may produce the result we want without triggering the release of the dopamine. If no dopamine is released, we have a non-addictive version of the benzodiazepines. That is not just for the anti-anxiety and antidepressive drugs. It also includes useful drugs used for appetite suppression, and so on.
Over the last ten years, there has been new research into producing the next generation of valium. Early results in manipulating Alpha2 and Alpha3 have not yet proved a success, but Merck and the other pharmaceutical companies are investing increasing amounts of money in the push to modify the chemistry of the current anti-anxiety and panic disorder drugs to produce the same effect but without the problem of dependence. Until this work delivers clinical trial results sufficient to satisfy the FDA, we will continue to rely on valium – a drug that has consistently proved itself effective to control anxiety and worry, and eliminate the threat of panic attacks. But, of course, with the condition that we do not exceed the dosage instructions given to us by doctors and pharmacists. The risk of dependence is manageable but real. If we do abuse this drug, we end up in much the same position as if we had become addicted to heroin or one of its derivatives. Once the brain’s reward system has been activated, it produces increasingly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if we stop taking the drug. Many people find they lack the willpower to fight through the symptoms and stay free. Let us hope the researchers can tweak valium so we can have the benefits without this risk.
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The Different Stroke Types
Stroke is a medical condition characterised by interruption of blood supply to the brain. This may happen of a blood vessel is blocked and stops blood from entering the brain or when there is a bleeding.
There are three types of stroke: ischemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage and subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Ischemic Stroke
The ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. Almost 80% of all stroke cases are of ischemic stroke. The ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked. Regular supply of fresh blood is vital to brains health. If a blood vessel is blocked, the brain cells cannot receive blood rich of oxygen and nutrients and they stop working. If the blood supply is stopped for more than a few minutes the brain cells start dying. The ischemic stroke may be caused by many reasons but the most common one is narrowing the arteries of the neck and the head. If the blood vessels become too narrow blood cells start to collect and form blood clogs. These clogs may block the blood vessel or dislodge and get closer to the brain and again clog the blood vessel. An ischemic stroke may be also caused by drug abuse, injury, or disorders of blood clotting.
Intracerebral Haemorrhage
The intracerebral haemorrhage stroke occurs when a blood vessel inside the brain bursts. In this case blood just leaks out causing high pressure to the cells that surround the leak. If the blood leaks out rapidly there might be a severe brain damage and even death. The intracerebral haemorrhage usually occurs in selected parts of the brain and that is why the damages may be to selected functions of the body. The intracerebral haemorrhage stroke is caused by high blood pressure and it may occur in people of all ages including children. Overall around 12% of all strokes are of this type.
Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
The subarachnoid haemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel just outside the brain bursts causing blood to leak out. The area of the skull surrounding the brain fills with blood and that is why people experiencing subarachnoid haemorrhage may feel sudden severe headache, neck pain, and nausea or vomiting. This kind of stoke is typical for people of all ages, especially for young adults and teenagers. It is more common for women than for men and is caused by a disease of the arteries. It may develop from birth or in childhood and grow very slowly.
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Do Saunas Help with Weight Loss?
Saunas have been a popular tool for relaxation for a very long time. When saunas were first introduced, they were used primarily for relaxation of muscles and relieving the stress and tension that build up throughout life. As saunas became more and more popular and widespread, the people who used them regularly began to notice some very desirable side effects. Specifically, people began noticing weight loss as a result of using saunas.
Weight Loss – Myth or Fact
Many people are still incredulous about the reported weight loss through sauna use. However, the increased popularity of saunas all over the world cannot and does not lie. Studies have shown that frequent sauna use does indeed help in weight loss as the high temperature acts not only on the muscle tissue but also on the fatty tissues of the body.
Many people agree that saunas have indeed helped them with weight reduction. The question is how? It is not true that the heat of the sauna helps in melting fat. Saunas – natural or infrared – are unable to melt fat with the help of heat. What a sauna actually does is help the body get rid of its excess salt through sweating.
What does salt have to do with weight loss? Plenty – there are many medical reports which explain the connection of salt and gain of weight. This gain is not fat gain but water retention gain. When a person consumes excess salt, this is deposited under the skin and in order for it to stay non-toxic it will demand water. The more salt you collect under the skin, the more water your body will demand and retain.
The sauna helps you get rid of this extra salt and thereby gets you rid of the water weight that you have gained. If you want to maintain the weight loss you enjoy from visiting the sauna, you need to keep salt consumption to a minimum in your diet.
Hence, the sauna does indeed help you loose weight though not in the regular way of melting fat. The heat usually forces the body sweat out the excess salt and toxins and thereby reduced a great deal of your water weight. Combined with a healthy and salt free (or reduced salt) diet, you could enjoy the new found way of staying trim and healthy.
Those who have studied the effectiveness of saunas for weight loss have observed that side by side with the relaxation benefits of saunas, they do help with detoxification of the body and with weight loss, when used frequently. What could be a better combination? One takes a sauna for relaxation and relief from stress and ends up with weight loss and body detoxification.
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