How strong are your calves? It matters more than you think
'Poorly developed calf muscles will limit everyday functional movement and raise the risk of tendon and knee injuries, as well as muscle strains,' says the physiotherapist Lucy Macdonald, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. 'Yet these important muscles are often overlooked at the gym in favour of building powerful thighs and glutes.' It's time, she says, to give our calves the attention they deserve.
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BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Alcohol harm costing workplaces €8.5 billion in lost productivity
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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mysterious blue brain found in autopsy linked to RFK Jr's 'miracle cure'
A substance touted by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr as a 'miracle cure-all' has been found to dramatically change the color of internal organs, according to a new study. Researchers at University Hospital Frankfurt in Germany examined the bodies of 11 people and discovered that methylene blue, a synthetic dye long used to treat conditions like malaria and methemoglobinemia. Methylene blue may also help combat other health problems, including urinary tract infections and depression, experts have said. During the autopsies, researchers discovered that the brains, hearts, lungs, and pancreases had turned a striking shade of blue. Even small doses, as little as 25 milligrams, roughly a quarter of a standard aspirin tablet, were enough to alter brain pigment, the team concluded. Some individuals had received 50 to 200 milligrams intravenously for medical conditions, with multiple doses given within 10 hours of death, and all showed discoloration of the brain and heart. The researchers emphasized that while the color changes darkened upon exposure to air during autopsies, the effect was not linked to the causes of death. Instead, it highlights how methylene blue persists in the body and can dramatically affect organ appearance, raising questions for forensic and medical examinations. The individuals who received methylene blue in the hospital were generally being treated for severe medical conditions, often involving life-threatening shock or critical illnesses. Most were in intensive care units (ICUs) for issues like septic shock from infections, heart failure, complications following surgeries, or severe COVID-19 infections. Hospital staff administered the dye intravenously as a last-resort treatment to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery when standard treatments failed. The startling discovery, published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, was made while researchers were conducting an autopsy on a 72-year-old man and found his brain was blue. To understand why, they searched their institute's database of 15,820 autopsy records from 2000 to 2023, looking for similar cases of doctors finding 'blue-green,' 'greenish,' or 'turquoise' organs during autopsies. They found 11 cases, including the 72-year-old, where various organs throughout the body had this unusual color. In each case, they found that six of these individuals with blue organs had ingested or been given a dosage of methylene blue shortly before their deaths. The other five had received or ingested a medical dye called toluidine blue, a sedative called Rohypnol that contains the blue dye indigocarmine, or a cleaning agent with the blue dye Brilliant Blue FCF. Study authors in Germany found 6 people who received dosages of methylene blue while in the hospital had blue brains and hearts after death The patients had taken the medical dye as a last resort treatment for various illnesses, including COVID-19 Although RFK Jr has not publicly confirmed that he uses methylene blue, a February 2025 video showed the health secretary putting droplets of a cobalt-blue liquid into what looked like water. Recent studies have explored its use in fighting early-stage COVID-19 by potentially reducing viral damage and improving oxygen delivery. It's also been investigated for its ability to boost brain health, treat shock, and potentially as an anti-aging serum. Some research has even suggested it can kill cancer cells under specific conditions. In fact, actor Mel Gibson claimed three of his friends recovered from stage four cancer after taking a supplement regimen that included methylene blue. In fact, actor Mel Gibson claimed three of his friends recovered from stage four cancer after taking a supplement regimen that included methylene blue. The Daily Mail has requested a comment from RFK Jr and the Department of Health and Human Services about the findings and is awaiting a response. While medical professionals only use the dye in extreme cases, methylene blue has taken over TikTok and Instagram with claims it can sharpen focus and boost mood. Methylene blue is FDA approved to treat the rare blood disorder methemoglobinemia, though it has also been used off label for anti-aging and cancer Influencers have dubbed it 'brain fuel' and a 'limitless pill,' with some studies claiming it can also alleviate mental health issues. However, neuroscientist Anne-Sophie Fluri told the Daily Mail in June that many of the supposed benefits being promoted online are based on preliminary research using rodents or petri dishes, not conclusive human clinical trials. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public safety warning about methylene blue's potential to cause serotonin syndrome when combined with common antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, or Cymbalta. Serotonin syndrome is a dangerous condition caused by too much serotonin in the body, leading to symptoms like confusion, high fever, seizures, and, in rare cases, death. Methylene blue can trigger this syndrome when taken with antidepressants because it blocks an enzyme that normally breaks down serotonin, causing a harmful buildup.
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
How eight second clip restored voice stolen by motor neurone disease
After 25 years a woman with motor neurone disease (MND) is able to speak in her own voice again thanks to an artificial intelligence programme and eight seconds of old audio. Sarah Ezekiel was left without the use of her voice and hands at the age of 34 having been diagnosed with MND shortly after the birth of her second child. Five years later, the advent of eye-gaze technology meant she could form words and sentences that would be 'spoken' by a computer. But growing up, her children Aviva and Eric only heard their mother speak through a robotic-sounding artificial voice. Voice-cloning technology and artificial intelligence that can fill in gaps in audio content mean that now, even her Cockney accent has been restored. 'After such a long time, I couldn't really remember my voice,' Ezekiel told BBC Access All. 'When I first heard it again, I felt like crying. It's a kind of miracle.'
