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What Is Vitamin D3? And How Is It Different From Plain Ol’ Vitamin D?

Womens World

What Is Vitamin D3? And How Is It Different From Plain Ol’ Vitamin D? These and More Questions Answered Here

May Hwang – May 11, 2023

As a woman, prioritizing your health and well-being is essential to living a long and productive life. One way to do this is to ensure your diet includes sufficient vitamins and minerals. At the top of the nutrient list is one vitamin, in particular: vitamin D3. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D3 is produced naturally in our skin when exposed to sunlight. But let’s be honest. Our modern lives are lived primarily indoors, which means that most of us don’t get as much sun as we should. This is a problem, as vitamin D3 has been linked to several important health benefits, especially for women. Here’s a summary.

What is vitamin D3?

Simply put, vitamin D3 (also known as cholecalciferol or calcitriol) is a type of fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it’s stored in our fatty tissue and can be used by the body when needed. It helps the body absorb calcium and phosphate. This vitamin plays an important role in bone health, muscle strength, immune system support, and more.

Vitamin D3 is also available through certain foods like fatty fish such as salmon or sardines; however, most of us don’t get enough from our diets alone. Thankfully, our bodies produce vitamin D3 naturally when exposed to sunlight. This occurs when 7-dehydrocholesterol (or zoosterol) in our skin is transformed into cholecalciferol, the active form of vitamin D3.

Is vitamin D3 the same as vitamin D?

Vitamin D3 is a form of vitamin D that our bodies can use more efficiently, meaning it’s more bioavailable to us. The other type of vitamin D, known as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), is a plant-based form that is not as impactful in humans.

What are the signs of vitamin D deficiency?

Nearly 1 billion people worldwide are not getting enough vitamin D. Women are particularly prone to vitamin D deficiency due to hormonal changes, diet, and lack of sun exposure. Some common signs of a vitamin D deficiency include:

Fatigue
Weakness
Bone or muscle pain
Reduced immune function
Impaired wound healing
Hair loss
Depression
Poor concentration

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, getting tested for a vitamin D deficiency may be smart. Contact your doctor for advice and a referral to the appropriate testing facility.

Who is susceptible to vitamin D deficiency?

Anyone can be prone to a vitamin D deficiency, but certain groups of people are especially sensitive. These include:

People with darker skin: The higher levels of melanin in darker skin tones can make it harder for the body to absorb vitamin D3 from sunlight.
The elderly: As we age, our skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight decreases.
People who don’t get much sun exposure: This can include people who work indoors or wear sunscreen all the time.
Vegans and vegetarians: Animal-based foods are the main dietary source of vitamin D, so vegans and vegetarians need to be particularly mindful of their vitamin D intake.
Women: Female hormones can affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D.

It’s important to note that pregnant and nursing women are also at risk since they need extra nutrients to support the health of their babies. If you’re expecting, be sure to talk to your doctor about your vitamin D levels.

What are the benefits of vitamin D for women?

Vitamin D is essential for women for a whole lot of reasons. Here are just a few of the health benefits it provides:

Supports Mental Health

Did you know that vitamin D3 has a powerful impact on your mood? Research has shown that healthy levels of this vitamin can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve overall mental well-being. This is because vitamin D3 helps trigger the release of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, in the brain.

Bolsters Immunity

Your immune system is your body’s frontline defense against illness, disease, and infection. Luckily, vitamin D3 can help keep your immune system strong, healthy, and ready to fight off anything bad that comes its way. It does this by activating T-cells, which are the cells responsible for attacking and destroying foreign invaders in the body.

Excessively low levels of vitamin D have been associated with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Promotes Strong Bones and Teeth

As women, we’re at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men, which is why it’s so important to make sure you get enough Vitamin D3. It helps with calcium absorption, which is essential for bone health, Without it, calcium can’t be absorbed, leading to softer bones and an increased risk of fractures. It’s also associated with rickets in children, which can cause muscle weakness, and both older adults and children could experience the loss of bone minerals (osteomalacia).

Boosts Fertility

Vitamin D3 is essential for fertility, as it helps regulate your menstrual cycle and ovulation. Low levels of vitamin D3 have been linked to menstrual irregularity, which can make it harder to conceive. Additionally, vitamin D3 helps reduce inflammation, making it easier for the body to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Studies have shown that Vitamin D3 can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. By decreasing inflammation, reducing high blood pressure (hypertension), and improving cholesterol levels, this vitamin could be part of your overall wellness plan. Vitamin D3 also helps your body absorb other essential vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and zinc, which act as antioxidants and protect your arteries from damage.

Reduces the Risk of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a major concern for women worldwide, with nearly 1 in 8 developing it at some point in our lives. Vitamin D3, however, can help reduce risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers believe this vitamin helps suppress the growth of cancer cells in the breast tissue, making it a vital part of breast cancer prevention.

Regulates Hormones

Last but not least, vitamin D3 also plays an important role in hormonal balance. It helps to regulate hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone which can all affect the way your body functions.

How much vitamin D is recommended for women?

It’s recommended that women get at least 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day. This amount can be obtained through dietary sources such as eggs, fatty fish, or fortified plant-based milk, but the best way to get your daily dose is from exposure to sunlight. Just 15 minutes of sun daily can provide enough vitamin D to meet your needs. If you’re concerned that you have low levels of vitamin D, you can also talk to your doctor about taking a supplement.

Can too much vitamin D be dangerous?

Yes, it is possible to get too much vitamin D. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Overdosing on vitamin D can cause vomiting, dehydration, and even kidney damage in extreme cases. It’s also important to note that some medications can interact with vitamin D, so be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any vitamin D3 supplements.

How can you get more vitamin D?

Here are ten tricks to get you started:

1. Spend time outdoors.

Spend 15 to 20 minutes outside each day, or even better, go for a walk in the sun. As mentioned, you can get your daily dose of vitamin D from just a few minutes of sun exposure.

2. Eat foods rich in vitamin D.

Include eggs, fatty fish, mushrooms, and fortified plant-based milk in your diet. These foods are great sources of vitamin D and can help you reach your daily recommended amount.

3. Consume fortified foods.

Look for foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, such as cereal, oatmeal, cod liver oil, and some brands of orange juice. Egg yolks have a smaller amount of vitamin D but have more saturated fat.

4. Take a supplement.

If you’re unable to get enough vitamin D from diet or sunlight, consider taking a dietary supplement. Talk to your healthcare provider about the appropriate amount for you.

5. Stay away from tanning beds.

Tanning beds may seem like a way to get vitamin D, but they can actually be dangerous and increase your risk of skin cancer.

6. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen.

When spending time outdoors, be sure to wear sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your eyes and skin from UV (ultraviolet) rays.

7. Check the time of day.

Optimize your sun exposure by going outside around 12 PM. This is when the sun’s rays are most intense, so you can get the most vitamin D in the shortest amount of time.

8. Consider a vitamin D test.

If you want to know exactly how much vitamin D you need, consider getting a vitamin D blood test. This way, you can get an accurate evaluation of your current levels and ensure you meet your daily needs.

9. Monitor sun exposure.

If you’re worried about overexposure to the sun, keep track of how long you spend outside each day. Getting enough sun is important, but it’s also important not to overdo it.

10. Keep a consistent routine.

Try to establish a consistent routine of going outside and getting your daily dose of vitamin D. With this, you can ensure that you’re meeting your recommended amounts daily.

Vitamin D3 and Me

Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in women’s health and well-being. The nutrient is often overlooked, but its benefits are significant. As women, we need to prioritize our health and include Vitamin D3 in our everyday routine. Whether it’s through sun exposure, diet, or supplements, getting adequate amounts of Vitamin D3 is crucial to maintaining healthy bones, a strong immune system, and overall well-being. So, let’s soak up the sun (with sunscreen, of course), eat Vitamin D-rich foods, and supplement as needed to reap the benefits of this sunshine vitamin!

How Much Does Sleep Actually Impact Dementia Risk? Brain Health Experts Explain

Parade

How Much Does Sleep Actually Impact Dementia Risk? Brain Health Experts Explain

Emily Laurence – May 12, 2023

You don’t have to be a health expert to know that sleep (or lack of it) greatly impacts the body. Anyone who’s ever spent the night tossing and turning knows that not getting enough sleep means a day ahead of low energy, feeling cranky, trouble concentrating, and making unhealthy decisions. But not getting enough sleep has more than morning-after effects. A wealth of scientific studies show that consistently not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to long-term health in profound ways.

One that’s especially noteworthy is the connection between lack of sleep and dementia. Scientific studies have found that trouble falling or staying asleep, poor sleep quality and not sleeping long enough can all increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This raises other questions, such as why this connection exists and how much sleep you actually need at night to protect your mind. Here, brain health experts explain everything you need to know.

Why Does Lack of Sleep Increase the Risk of Dementia?

Brain health experts are still attempting to learn what exactly goes on in the brain while we sleep, but there’s no question that the mind needs rest to continue functioning. “While we don’t fully understand the relationship between sleep and dementia, we know there’s a harmful cycle in which poor sleep increases your risk for developing Alzheimer’s or another dementia and, in turn, the dementia is associated with lower quality sleep,” says Dr. Percy Griffin, Ph.D., the Alzheimer’s Association’s Director of Scientific Engagement.

Even though there’s still a lot to learn about what happens while we sleep, Dr. Griffin says what we do know is that sleep is when the brain removes waste materials and also stabilizes memories to hold onto long-term. “Sleep disruptions can impair these processes,” he says.

Dr. Lynn A. Schaefer, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, a neuropsychologist at Nassau University Medical Center, says that REM sleep is especially important for this to happen. “REM sleep is when dreaming occurs, which may help with emotional processing. Memories are also consolidated in the hippocampus during REM, and the brain helps flush out toxins, such as beta-amyloid, which contributes to brain and cognitive health,” she says.

Dr. Schaefer explains that lack of sleep can cause an accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau, two proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s disease. As both experts explained above, REM sleep is when the brain removes these harmful toxins, preventing buildup. But Dr. Schaefer also points out that dementia is also a risk factor for poor sleep, so the relationship goes both ways. “If the reason for insufficient or poor-quality sleep is sleep apnea, or disturbed breathing during sleep, then the brain may get decreased oxygen which is also a risk factor for dementia,” she says.

Even though scientific researchers don’t know everything that happens inside the brain while we sleep, it’s clear that lack of sleep is detrimental to brain health. So, how much sleep helps protect against increasing the risk of dementia? Research shows that adults should be getting seven or more hours of sleep a night for optimal health. However, it can become harder to get consistent, good sleep as we age.

Reasons Why People Over 50 May Struggle With Sleep

People of any age can struggle with getting enough sleep, but there are certain reasons in particular why people over 50 may have a hard time. “As we age, there are changes to the part of the brain that controls the timing of sleep,” Dr. Griffin says. “These changes affect how long it takes to fall asleep, when you feel tired, and how many times you wake up at night.”

Dr. Schaefer says that common reasons include aches and pain, restless leg syndrome, increased urination or sleep apnea. She adds that there are also certain medications that can disrupt sleep.

People over 50 can also have trouble sleeping for the same reasons anyone else can. Perhaps they have a partner who snores. They may be experiencing anxiety or depression. Or, they work long or unusual work hours, which can impact their sleep.

Tips for Getting Enough Sleep To Protect Your Brain

Since getting enough sleep is crucial for brain health, if you aren’t getting enough, it’s important to take action. Both experts say that figuring out the root cause of your sleep issues is the first step. Then, act accordingly. For example, if you are experiencing aches and pain, restless leg syndrome or other sleep-preventing health ailments highlighted above, it’s important to see your healthcare provider and work together toward finding a solution.

Dr. Schaefer says that practicing good sleep hygiene can also go a long way in improving sleep. This means having a consistent bedtime, not using screens before bed, minimizing caffeine and alcohol, and having a wind-down routine in place that will help you feel relaxed as you power down for the night. “Some over-the-counter products, like low-dose melatonin or magnesium, can help, but one should speak to their primary care provider before starting anything,” she adds.

Not only will being well-rested decrease your risk for dementia, but you’ll find yourself feeling more energized in your day-to-day life too. That will help set you up for other healthy habits, such as eating nutrient-rich foods and exercising regularly—a dementia-preventing domino effect. And it all starts with sleep.

Next up, find out what daily habits can help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a Cleveland Clinic neuropsychologist.

They built a new life near Charlotte after Jan. 6. Now, husband, wife are going to prison.

The Charlotte Observer

They built a new life near Charlotte after Jan. 6. Now, husband, wife are going to prison.

Michael Gordon – May 11, 2023

The owners of “Free Folk Pastures” are no longer free.

Instead, Dale “D.J.” Shalvey and Tara Stottlemyer, who run a regenerative cattle and poultry farm 45 miles north of Charlotte, have become North Carolina’s first husband and wife sentenced to prison for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly of Washington ordered Shalvey and Stottlemyer to serve 41 and eight months, respectively. They will begin their sentences at a later date.

Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also ordered both to serve 24 months of supervised release. Stottlemyer will spend the first third of hers on home detention.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Anthony Franks had recommended a 51-month sentence for Shalvey and 18 months for Stottlemyer.

Both pleaded guilty in October to riot-related felony charges: Stottlemyer, obstruction of an official proceeding; Shalvey, obstruction and assault on a police officer.

The couple, the parents of a 2-month-old daughter, moved to North Carolina after taking part in the attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters intent on overturning the Republican’s election loss to Joe Biden.

Shalvey was arrested in March 2021; Stottlemyer was charged six months later after the couple had relocated to Catawba County.

In the months since, they have quickly put down roots in Conover.

They leased land from Shalvey’s uncle, who lives in Mooresville, to start their farm.

They got married there six months after the riot.

They buried their newborn son, Josiah, there in January 2022 and gave birth to a daughter, Hope, in mid-March.

They joined a church. They made new friends. In a letter to Kelly seeking leniency for Shalvey, one acquaintance said the couple have quickly become community leaders in their adopted home.

‘Stop the steal’ rally

Now, Shalvey and Stottlemyer, both 38, are set to become the ninth and 10th North Carolinians imprisoned for Jan. 6 crimes, for terms ranging from nine days to 44 months. At least 28 N.C. residents have been federally charged.

Nationwide, more than 1,000 arrests have been made, leading to more than 650 convictions. The Capitol violence has been linked to at least five deaths, injuries to some 140 police officers, and more than $2.8 million in damage to the building.

Shalvey and Stottlemyer, then living in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, drove to Washington on Jan. 6 with a farmer friend from Upstate New York to attend Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally, court documents show.

They then joined a throng of Trump supporters, fueled by the outgoing president’s baseless claims of massive election fraud, who marched to the Capitol to stop congressional certification of Biden’s win.

During the growing chaos, Shalvey was caught on camera throwing something that struck a police officer.

Shalvey and Stottlemyer — joined by co-defendant Katharine Morrison of Dansville, N.Y., who received the same sentence as Stottlemyer — entered the Capitol nine minutes after the first breach, Franks said. They roamed the building for more than an hour.

Eventually, the three were among the relatively few rioters who reached the floor of the U.S. Senate. There, they rifled through senators’ desks and photographed documents.

Shalvey also pocketed a letter — which he later destroyed — from U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney to then-Vice President Mike Pence in which the Utah Republican explained his reasoning for finding Trump guilty at his second impeachment trial.

Franks compared Shalvey’s behavior to one of the best-known convicted rioters, “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley, who was sentenced in November 2021 to 41 months on an obstruction charge.

Except, according to Franks’ sentencing memo, Shalvey’s actions were “more heinous as they involve assaulting an officer and lying to the FBI regarding the assault and destroying evidence, which included Shalvey’s phone and a note written by Senator Romney.”

While Stottlemyer, garbed in a Trump flag and a teal-colored bicycle helmet, did not take part in the violence, she was alongside Shalvey throughout the riot and participated in the rummaging of the Senate desks, Franks said.

Shalvey’s character

Multiple letters written to the judge by Shalvey’s family, ministers, former college professors and friends spoke to his character and potential; how he overcame a childhood derailed by a drug-addicted mother and an abusive father; how he plans to use the farm to mentor fatherless boys; how he is embarrassed and remorseful for his actions at the Capitol.

Lead defense attorney Cody Cofer of Fort Worth, citing his client’s “complete lack of prior contact with the criminal justice system” prior to Jan. 6, called for home detention, not imprisonment.

“Mr. Shalvey acknowledges the Court must consider a variety of factors and interests beyond the future of a defendant,” Cofer wrote.

“For the Shalveys, the care of (daughter) Hope is the foremost concern. Mr. Shalvey is also burdened by his worry for the animals he loves and losing the land on which his son is buried.

“And all this is in peril because of Mr. Shalvey’s decisions.”

Autoimmune Diseases Are on the Rise in Women — Here’s What To Look Out for and How You Might Treat Them

Womens World

Autoimmune Diseases Are on the Rise in Women — Here’s What To Look Out for and How You Might Treat Them

Deborah Skolnik – May 12, 2023

When your immune system is healthy, it’s like having a personal ninja warrior at your disposal. This ninja is focused on one specific mission: to protect your body from threats such as germs, unhealthy changes in cells, and harmful foreign substances. In some people, though, the immune system becomes confused about whom the enemy is and attacks the body instead. The assault can happen anywhere, from joints and blood vessels to endocrine glands, causing what are known as an autoimmune diseases. More than 24 million Americans have one, and the complications can often be life-threatening.

Even worse, the incidence of autoimmune disorders in the United States is steadily rising. “These issues are becoming the new epidemic,” says internist Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, a fibromyalgia expert in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! A Clinically Proven Program to Regain Vibrant Health and Overcome Chronic Fatigue. “We’re seeing about a 3 to 9 percent increase per year in autoimmune diseases [with some more on the rise than others]. It’s more than compounding every 25 years,” he shares. These stats are rising the most among women — nearly 80 percent of sufferers are female. It’s a staggering difference that raises an obvious question: Why?

Why Women?

“The answer to that is estrogen,” says Stuart D. Kaplan, MD, chief of rheumatology at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York, and a partner in Rheumatology Consultants, LLP, in Hewlett, New York. “It’s been shown that estrogens rev up the autoimmune process,” he shares.- ADVERTISEMENT -https://s.yimg.com/rq/darla/4-11-1/html/r-sf-flx.html

Another potential reason for the gender gap is the chromosomal difference between males and females. “Men have an XY chromosome and women have an XX. A lot of immune genes are on the X chromosome. Because of that, women have kind of a double dose of risk for [immune-related] genetic defects,” Teitelbaum says. Bottom line: While women are at greater risk than men, both sexes are vulnerable to the consequences of an immune system gone rogue.

Common Autoimmune Disorders

The statistics are undoubtedly frightening, but the news isn’t entirely bad. You can at least partially control many of these disorders through medications, which often subdue the immune system. In some cases, there are also ways to feel better without any drugs at all. Currently, more than 80 autoimmune diseases have been identified. Some are very rare, but doctors see the following conditions regularly:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

In this disorder, the immune system attacks the lining inside the joints, causing inflammation and, over time, bone loss and misshapen joints. RA can also affect other parts of the body, including the eyes, lungs, and heart. RA’s symptoms, which can come and go, include a few you might expect, as well as a few you might not. Sufferers may feel stiffness in their joints that is typically worse in the morning and after physical exertion, and their joints may often be warm, tender, and swollen. Additional red flags — fever, tiredness, and a lack of appetite — can be mistaken for other illnesses.

Treatment

Fortunately, medications can often help alleviate RA’s effects. Doxycycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties, is an inexpensive treatment, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for the redness, heat, and swelling. When NSAIDs don’t help or RA is severe, a physician may prescribe a drug called methotrexate (also known as Trexall, Rasuvo, or Otrexup), which can slow the disease’s progression. It’s one of a class of medications known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs.

As recently as 2019, a review of research in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences concluded methotrexate is still one of the most efficient RA therapies. Some of the latest drugs to treat RA are a whole new class of DMARDs called biologics. Synthesized or derived from living organisms, they generally target the various immune cells linked to inflammation to try to halt the disease process. Rituximab is one such biologic, a lab-engineered antibody, that’s being used to treat RA alone or with other drugs.

Alternative Therapies

Curamin, a dietary supplement aimed at reducing inflammation, may be beneficial for some RA patients, says Teitelbaum. Among its ingredients is curcumin, an anti-inflammatory chemical found in turmeric. About a half-dozen other herbal remedies have shown promise in addressing RA’s miseries as well, including Indian frankincense or boswellia serrata (another ingredient in Curamin), aloe vera, ginger, and green tea.

Hashimoto’s Disease

When your immune system attacks your thyroid, the gland near the base of your throat becomes inflamed and its functioning can become impaired. “Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroid [low thyroid-gland activity],” says Teitelbaum. “If people have symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, achiness, cold intolerance, constipation, or infertility, I will test them. It can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.”

Treatment

A standard thyroid blood panel will often indicate a patient is in the normal range for thyroid function, “but ‘normal’ only means they’re not in the lowest 2 percent of the population,” Teitelbaum says. If a patient is still exhibiting the symptoms of hypothyroidism, he’ll prescribe desiccated thyroids (one brand name is Armour Thyroid) to supplement their body’s natural thyroid hormones. Many doctors prescribe a synthetic thyroid medication called Synthroid, but Teitelbaum contends it doesn’t work well in a significant number of his patients.

Alternative Therapies

Most non-drug therapies for Hashimoto’s don’t yet have a scientific stamp of approval, though traditional treatments such as Chinese medicine (acupuncture and herbs) are being studied. Preliminary studies have found that selenium supplements may lower antibody levels. However, a 2013 review of all existing data, published in the European Thyroid Journal, found more evidence is needed.

Grave’s Disease

This autoimmune disorder is pretty much the opposite of Hashimoto’s: The immune system causes the thyroid to become inflamed in a way that causes it to make too much thyroid hormone. “It’s kind of the difference between feeling slow and sluggish vs. feeling like you’ve had 10 pots of coffee,” Teitelbaum says. “You’re going to seem like a country western song when you have Graves’ disease — your wife leaves, your dog leaves, and you get fired. People are emotional train wrecks.” Beyond anger and irritability, some key symptoms include enlargement of the thyroid gland (called a goiter), trembling hands, a change in menstrual cycles for women, and bulging eyes.

Treatment

It involves taking methimazole, which blocks the overproduction of thyroid hormone. Radioactive iodine therapy is another option. It gradually destroys the overactive thyroid (and then you take something like Synthroid to replace the hormones). Teitelbaum prefers methimazole, however, contending it’s safer and less expensive. Another class of drugs, beta blockers, alleviate some symptoms of Graves’ rather than addressing the excess level of thyroid hormones. In some cases, doctors will recommend surgically removing all or part of the gland.

Alternative Therapies

Dietary changes — following an anti-inflammatory eating style and eliminating any food allergens — can help with some symptoms. Ask your doctor if you should avoid or limit certain foods that contain large amounts of iodine, including seaweed and kelp. It’s also wise to touch base with your healthcare provider about any supplements, multivitamins, or cough syrups
you take, because these may contain iodine or interfere with your prescribed medication. Your thyroid modulates your metabolism and has a role in multiple body systems so don’t put off seeking proven treatments.

Multiple Sclerosis

The symptoms of this disorder, which arises when the body’s immune system attacks the protective coating of the body’s nerve cells, are alarming: “You can have a sudden loss of function in one arm, or one leg and numbness,” Teitelbaum says. “I’m not talking about numbness and tingling fingers, but where it’s so numb that you could stick a needle through it and you wouldn’t feel it. You may also have loss of vision in one eye.” If these symptoms flare up and then recede, the condition is called relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (about 85 percent of people with MS have this type, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.)

Treatment

A drug called copolymer-1 has been a leading treatment for MS for the past two decades. It significantly reduces flare-ups in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Acute attacks can
be treated with corticosteroids and a procedure called plasma exchange, in which your blood’s plasma is removed, and the blood cells are combined with a protein solution and returned to the body. There are also biologics effective for relapsing-remitting MS and the primary-progressive form of the disease, which has no remissions.

Alternative Therapies

Beyond drugs, physical therapy can boost patients’ strength and flexibility, and make everyday tasks easier to perform. Doctors also recommend exercise; keeping cool (a rise in body temperature can worsen symptoms) and managing stress through things like practicing yoga and mindfulness, since anxiety can exacerbate MS symptoms. Some research has shown that vitamin D and probiotic supplements can be helpful for some people with MS.

Psoriasis

When one type of white blood cell, called a T-helper lymphocyte, becomes overactive, it produces chemicals that cause the skin (and possibly some other organs and tissues) to become inflamed. This autoimmune disorder can have effects that are both highly visible and hidden. In the skin, the blood vessels widen, and skin cells grow abnormally fast. Usually it takes these cells a month to mature and be shed from the body, but with psoriasis, the process takes only a few days. Instead of falling away, the skin cells accumulate on the surface causing thickened, red, scaly skin. In some cases, these plaques can be itchy, painful, and burning. (Because other organs are also affected by psoriasis, sufferers may experience stiffness, pain, and swelling in the joints and surrounding areas.)

Treatment

A wide variety of therapies can help ease the symptoms of psoriasis or slow its progression. Corticosteroid ointments and shampoos can be applied to plaques or other sensitive areas such as skin folds and the face. Others, including certain types of synthetic vitamin D, may slow cell growth. There are also topical treatments to reduce scaling and itching. (In certain cases, your doctor may prescribe oral or injected medications that have these same effects.) Biologics geared toward psoriasis can produce results quickly by interrupting the T cell actions specifically.

Alternative Therapies

Light therapy, in which the skin is exposed to artificial or natural light, is sometimes used in combination with medications. Weight loss can also be effective: A 2019 study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that a low-calorie diet reduced the severity of psoriasis in patients with obesity by at least 75 percent.

Lupus

While many autoimmune diseases seem to attack one specific area of the body, this disease is broader. It creates antibodies that can have widespread effects. “The body is fighting itself, and you can get inflammation of almost every organ,” says Kaplan. “People with lupus will have fevers, rashes, joint pain, inflammation of the kidneys, and sometimes even central nervous system abnormalities.”

Treatment

Because steroids are the most effective anti-inflammatories, they’re often used to treat lupus, especially when it involves a vital organ such as the brain. “If you don’t use high-dose steroids, the person is going to die,” Kaplan explains. “In situations like that, you have no choice, but you always try to taper down the steroids as quickly as you can.” DHEA supplements, a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, may also help. More commonly recommended medications include OTC anti-inflammatories (such as naproxen and ibuprofen); antimalarial drugs, which can halt flares and possibly extend patients’ lives, and even chemotherapy for severe cases. A biologic called belimumab targets a protein in the disease process.

Alternative Therapies

A 2019 study in the journal Lupus is one of the latest to suggest that healthy lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms and quality of life for lupus sufferers. The trials, which included psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness and psychotherapy, and other interventions such as exercise and electro-acupuncture (the needles are stimulated with a low amount of electricity), had encouraging results. These non-drug-oriented treatments improved some participants’ pain as well as their overall fatigue. Perhaps most important, the interventions lessened the incidence of anxiety and depression.

Whatever your autoimmune condition, it’s important to work with a specialist who will listen to you and your concerns and help you find the best type of treatment. The options should always include lifestyle changes, including physical activity, dietary shifts, stress management, sleep, and more since, besides aiding overall health, these will help control inflammation and improve gut health and other metabolic functions that can impact autoimmune conditions.

A version of this article appeared in our partner magazine, The Complete Guide to Anti-Inflammation.

Justice Elena Kagan was worried about the ethics of accepting bagels from friends, while Clarence Thomas was enjoying expensive vacations paid for by a GOP megadonor

Insider

Justice Elena Kagan was worried about the ethics of accepting bagels from friends, while Clarence Thomas was enjoying expensive vacations paid for by a GOP megadonor: report

Joshua Zitser – May 11, 2023

Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Clarence Thomas — Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan (l) and Clarence ThomasJoshua Zitser/Insider, Getty Images

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan once turned down a care package of bagels and lox, per Forward.
She was concerned she could be violating the court’s ethics rules for accepting gifts, friends said.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was accepting lavish holidays from a GOP megadonor.

At a time when Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was accepting lavish trips paid for by GOP megadonor Harlan Crow, fellow Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan was turning down bagels and lox from high school friends, over concerns she could be violating the court’s ethics rules for accepting gifts, according to a new report.

Forward reported that friends who attended Hunter College High School in Manhattan with Kagan in the 1970s wanted to send her a “care package” of bagels, lox, babka, chocolates, and other inexpensive items in February 2021.

However, they later scrapped the idea after Kagan expressed concerns about issues it could pose under the Supreme Court’s rules on gifts and disclosures, per Forward.

“We thought it would be a sign of support to send her some lox, but she was too ethical to take the lox,” said Sarah Schulman, a former school friend, according to the media outlet.

Another Hunter College High School alumnus, Ann Starer, told the Forward that Kagan was touched by the offer but it was “creating more stress for her than it was worth.”

She said that Kagan sent her an email, which reportedly said: “I have to take these ethics and reporting considerations very seriously.”

Kagan’s approach seems to directly contrast with that of Thomas when it comes to accepting gifts.

A series of bombshell ProPublica reports have put Thomas at the center of an ongoing scandal involving Crow, a Texas billionaire.

According to the reports, Crow financed expensive trips that Thomas took part in for more than two decades, purchased his mother’s home and didn’t charge her rent, and paid for a child in the justice’s custody to attend a $6,000-a-month private boarding school.

Under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, all federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, are required to file annual financial disclosures that include reporting on gifts received. But they are exempt from disclosing “personal hospitality” they receive, which covers food, lodging, and entertainment.

And unlike the rest of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court is not bound by a code of conduct.

Top Democrats have called on the Supreme Court to investigate Thomas, as well as calling on the court to adopt a public code of ethics.

The Supreme Court did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

Dramatic video shows a Russian soldier being shot at by his own side as he tries to surrender to a drone

Business Insider

Dramatic video shows a Russian soldier being shot at by his own side as he tries to surrender to a drone, Ukrainian official says

Mia Jankowicz – May 11, 2023

Drone footage shows Bakhmut in ruins after months of some of the bloodiest fighting of the Ukraine war

Three stills from drone footage by Code 9.2 of Ukraine's 92nd Brigade, showing a Russian soldier gesturing in an apparent wish to surrencer. — Three stills from drone footage by Code 9.2 of Ukraine’s 92nd Brigade, showing a Russian soldier gesturing in an apparent wish to surrender.Code 9.2/reddit

Dramatic video footage shows a Russian soldier’s surrender to a Ukrainian drone, Ukraine said.
A Ukrainian official told Insider that he was targeted by his own side as he ran.
Explosions can be seen going off around the soldier as he scrambles towards captivity.

A Russian soldier seen surrendering to a Ukrainian drone in dramatic footage in Bakhmut was fired on by his own men as he made his dash to captivity, according to a Ukrainian official.

In striking drone footage that has circulated widely online, a soldier can be seen making his way through explosions and trenches across ruined ground before approaching a dugout with his hands raised.

Vitaliy Matvienko, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” surrender hotline, confirmed to Insider that the footage was taken by the Code 9.2 unit of Ukraine’s 92nd Mechanized Brigade near Bakhmut, and said that it showed a Russian soldier surrendering to them.

The soldier, from the Pskov region in western Russia, is safe in captivity as a prisoner of war, Matvienko said.

Two edited versions of the footage have circulated online, one of which shows the explosions, and one which appears to be filmed by a second drone.

A longer video of the Russian surrendering to a Ukrainian drone
by u/YoulethalJB in ukraine

The “I Want to Live” hotline, which claims to receive thousands of calls a month, is an official project of Ukraine allowing Russian soldiers to pre-arrange to surrender once on Ukrainian territory.

But it has also released instructions on how active duty soldiers can surrender to a drone — a phenomenon that appears to have taken place several times in this conflict.

A still from aerial footage shared by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, showing a uniformed figure walking with hands up in apparent surrender. Insider marked up the image to highlight the figure and add text saying: "hands up" — A still from aerial footage shared by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense showing an apparent surrender in November 2022, marked up by Insider.Ukrainian Ministry of Defense/Twitter/Insider

In this instance, Matvienko said the surrender was not pre-arranged through the hotline but took place spontaneously, with the 92nd Brigade’s drone operator recognizing that the soldier was trying to signal.

In the footage, the soldier can be seen making various signals to the drone indicating he doesn’t want to fight, Matvienko said. At one stage he makes a pleading motion, while at another, it looks like he is offering to tear the insignia from his shoulder.

The drone drops him a package containing a note which, per Matvienko, tells him to surrender and to follow it.

But the soldier points to himself and shakes his head, making a slicing motion across his neck — seemingly to say that he would be killed if he fled.

Three stills from drone footage by Code 9.2 of Ukraine's 92nd Brigade, showing an explosion, its aftermath, and a Russian soldier running from the scene during a dramatic surrender attempt in Bakhmut. — The soldier shelters by an abandoned vehicle as an explosion goes off, before continuing on his journey to captivity.Code 9.2/reddit

Nonetheless, he appears to opt to follow the drone, being led through a warren of trenches, past apparently dead bodies and over wreck-strewn open ground.

Twice, as he scrambles between abandoned vehicles, explosions go off nearby.

“At that time, his comrades-in-arms began to fire at him from the Russian positions, but he was not hit,” said Matvienko.

Eventually, as the soldier approaches a dugout, he removes his helmet and puts his hands in the air, before being received by another soldier.

The encounter, Matvienko said, is one example of how “Ukrainian soldiers find such creative ways to defeat Russians on the battlefield.”

Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs along front lines

Reuters

Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs along front lines

May 10, 2023

Aftermath of a Russian military strike in Zaporizhzhia region

(Reuters) -Russia’s defence ministry on Thursday denied reports that Ukrainian forces had broken through in various places along the front lines and said the military situation was under control.

Moscow reacted after Russian military bloggers, writing on the Telegram messaging app, reported what they said were Ukrainian advances north and south of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, with some suggesting a long-awaited counteroffensive by pro-Kyiv forces had started.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had earlier said the offensive had yet to start.

“Statements circulated by individual Telegram channels about ‘defence breakthroughs’ that took place in different areas along the line of military contact do not correspond to reality,” the Russian defence ministry said in a Telegram post.

“The overall situation in the area of the special military operation is under control,” it said in a statement, using the Kremlin’s description of the war in Ukraine.

The fact the Russian ministry felt obliged to release the statement reflects what Moscow acknowledges is a “very difficult” military operation.

Ukraine says it has pushed Russian forces back over the past several days near Bakhmut, while a full-blown counteroffensive involving tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of Western tanks is still being prepared.

“We still need a bit more time,” Zelenskiy said in an interview with European broadcasters.

Reuters was not able to verify the reports and it was unclear whether Ukrainian forces were attacking in force or just mounting armed reconnaissance raids.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musiyenko said Kyiv’s backers understand that a counteroffensive “may not result in the complete eviction of Russian troops and the definitive defeat of Russia in all occupied areas.”

“We have to be ready for the war to continue into next year – or it could end this year,” Musiyenko told Ukrainian NV Radio. “It all depends on how the battles develop. We can’t guarantee how the counter-offensive will develop.”

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia’s Wagner private army which has led the fight in Bakhmut, on Thursday said Ukrainian operations were “unfortunately, partially successful”. He called Zelenskiy’s assertion that the counteroffensive had not yet begun “deceptive”.

BRITAIN TO SEND CRUISE MISSILES TO UKRAINE

Ukrainian forces had already received enough equipment from Western allies for their campaign but were waiting for the full complement of armoured vehicles to arrive, Zelenskiy said.

In a major step up in Western military support for Ukraine, Britain said it was sending Storm Shadow cruise missiles that would give Kyiv the ability to strike deep behind Russian lines.

The missiles “are now going into, or are in, the country itself,” Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told parliament in London, adding the missiles were being supplied so they could be used within Ukraine.

Western countries including the U.S. had previously held back from providing long range weapons for fear of provoking Russian retaliation. Wallace said Britain had weighed the risk.

The Kremlin earlier said if Britain provided these missiles it would require “an adequate response from our military”.

In an evening address on Thursday, Zelenskiy said he would soon be able to report very important defence-related news.

“Foreign flags will never reign on our land, and our people will never be enslaved,” he said.

The war in Ukraine is at a turning point, with Kyiv poised to unleash its counteroffensive after six months of keeping its forces on the defensive, while Russia mounted a huge winter offensive that failed to capture significant territory.

Moscow’s main target for months has been Bakhmut, which it has yet to fully capture despite the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since World War Two.

ZELENSKIY EXPECTED TO MEET POPE FRANCIS

There are no signs of peace talks between the two countries to end the war, which began in February 2022 with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. Zelenskiy is expected to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican on Saturday, diplomatic sources said, days after the pope said the Vatican was involved in a peace mission. The pope has given no further information on such an initiative.

The war worsened a global food crisis – Ukraine and Russia are major agricultural exporters – and while an agreement last July safely reopened some Black Sea grain shipment channels, negotiations to extend the deal were difficult.

Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations discussed on Thursday U.N. proposals to keep the pact alive. Moscow has threatened to quit on May 18 over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports.

Meanwhile in South Africa, an important Russian ally on a continent divided by the war, the U.S. ambassador told journalists that Washington was confident a Russian vessel had loaded weapons and ammunition from South Africa in December, a possible breach of Pretoria’s declared neutrality in the conflict.

The government is opening an independent inquiry led by a retired judge into the allegation, the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement. No evidence had yet been provided by Washington to support its allegation, the president’s office said.

Washington has repeatedly warned countries against providing material support to Russia, saying that those who do may be subject to economic sanctions similar to those imposed on Moscow.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Peter Graff, David Ljunggren and Grant McCool; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Diane Craft and Daniel Wallis)

Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women 55 and under. Experts don’t yet know why.

Yahoo! Life

Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women 55 and under. Experts don’t yet know why.

Korin Miller – May 10, 2023

Pancreatic cancer collage with jaundiced eyes, an IV bag, and a woman's hand on her face. — Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women under 55, according to a recent study. (llustration: Blake Cale; Photo: Getty Images)

Allison Lippman-Kuban was just 31 when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017. Lippman-Kuban tells Yahoo Life that she first developed symptoms of the disease after she returned from a vacation in France with her boyfriend.

“I was having severe abdominal pain that shot into my back,” she says. “I had weight loss, fatigue, trouble digesting food — a lot of gastrointestinal issues.”

Lippman-Kuban reached out to her doctor and had tests scheduled with specialists, including a colonoscopy, to try to figure out what was behind her sudden pain. “But the pain got so severe that I ended up going to the hospital,” she says. She was hospitalized for five days, where she underwent a slew of tests. “I left with a diagnosis of neuroendocrine cancer and was later told it was stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” she says.

“I was just shocked,” Lippman-Kuban says. “I questioned everything, including why was my boyfriend staying with me. I had just been promoted at my job — I was nervous that I was going to lose that. Then, the fear of all of that subsided, and it was more, How long do I have to live?“

Lippman-Kuban says she was urged “to do chemo as long as I could,” but her doctor also sent her biopsy to a lab for genetic sequencing. Her specific biomarker (a gene, protein or other substance that provides information about a type of cancer) qualified her for a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “I’ve been on that trial for five and a half years now,” she says.

She says she’s had a “change of lifestyle” on the trial. “I stopped chemo, I take two pills in the morning and two pills each afternoon,” she says. “Within a month, my strength started coming back, my hair started coming back, and I was able to start rediscovering myself.”

Lippman-Kuban’s cancer isn’t gone, but her tumors have shrunk by 70%. “I now treat my cancer as a chronic illness,” she says. “I just take my medicine in the morning and the evening. I don’t have any side effects from it, which is great.”

Teona Ducre was just 41 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer in 2016. She tells Yahoo Life she had “extreme pain” in her lower stomach and lower back, along with exhaustion, indigestion and “substantial” weight loss. “Upon my initial diagnosis, I was in disbelief and did not fully appreciate the significance of the fact that pancreatic cancer is most often terminal,” she says.

Ducre discovered the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), a patient advocacy and research organization, and received guidance on her form of cancer, along with what to expect for treatment. She then underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery and five more months of chemotherapy. She’s now a pancreatic cancer survivor. “Survival is not some specified date in the future when the tumor is gone —survival is every single day a person wakes up and did not succumb to the disease,” she says.

Paula Mack Drill was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer five years ago, when she was in her mid-50s. She tells Yahoo Life that she had been on sabbatical for three months from her job as a rabbi and “was coming off the most healthy, toxic-free diet” when she started having symptoms. Drill hosted people at her house for Passover Seder and kept eating a chocolate and caramel dessert that she jokingly refers to as “Matzo Crack.” “Around 5 a.m. the next morning, I had terrible stomach pain, which I assumed was from eating Matzo Crack,” she says. “But it got worse and worse as the day went on.”

The pain became so intense that Drill went to the emergency room. She was first diagnosed with pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — but was later informed that the doctors had found a tumor. They suspected that she had pancreatic cancer (something that could only be confirmed with surgery) and needed surgery to remove the tumor, which was scheduled for three weeks from then.

“I was in deep denial,” she says of her diagnosis, noting that she didn’t look up anything about pancreatic cancer online. “I did not understand that pancreatic cancer is a killer,” she added.

Drill’s doctor was Dr. Russell C. Langan, director of surgical oncology, Northern Region at RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. “He saved my life,” she says. He performed a procedure known as a Whipple procedure, to remove the head of the pancreas, where Drill’s tumor was located.

“It’s a very intense, really hard surgery, and he came to me after the surgery and was practically crying,” Drill says. “He was able to take the tumor out. I was encapsulated. It hadn’t spread.”

Drill, who was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer, says she had “heavy-duty chemo” after that twice a month for six months, followed by radiation therapy.

Now, she says she feels “100% better.” She just had a five-year scan that was clear. “Now, when I go in, it’s like a little party,” Drill says. “Everyone is happy, and we have a little celebration. I feel great.”

Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women of under age 55

While cancer rates have fallen in the U.S. as a whole over the last few years, there’s been a disturbing rise in pancreatic cancer diagnoses. More specifically, rates are spiking in women under the age of 55.

A study published in the journal Gastroenterologyin February analyzed data from nearly 455,000 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 2001 and 2018 and found that, while rates of the disease rose overall, they climbed in younger women. Specifically, the researchers found that the rates of pancreatic cancer in women under 55 rose 2.4% higher than those of men of the same age. The researchers also noted in the study that the trend did not appear to be “slowing down.”

Pancreatic cancer has a reputation as a fatal disease — its overall five-year survival rate is just 12% — and it used to be known as a cancer for older people. It also typically doesn’t cause symptoms until it is in the advanced stages, Dr. Anne Noonan, a medical oncologist with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, tells Yahoo Life.

While the majority of pancreatic cancer cases are people in their 70s, doctors say they’ve seen an increase in the number of younger patients over the past few years. “We are certainly seeing more patients with pancreas cancer, and some patients are younger than the usual age at which we typically see it,” Noonan says. “Sometimes patients are in their 40s, 30s and even 20s.”

Pancreatic cancer is “still largely a disease of aging,” Dr. Shubham Pant, an associate professor in the department of gastrointestinal medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells Yahoo Life. “We are seeing a handful more of younger patients,” he says. “Before, we would see one or two a year. Now we are seeing five or more a year. It is increasing, but it’s a relative increase.”

Why are pancreatic cancer rates on the rise in women?

It’s not entirely clear. The most recent study only found an increase in cases — and did not explore why they’re on the rise. Langan says it’s possible that this could be due to an increase in obesity rates or alcohol consumption, but it could also be due to a variety of causes. “I would favor the cause being multifactorial,” he tells Yahoo Life.

“There are a number of theories,” Noonan says, including that pancreatic cancer may be linked to a high-fat diet, smoked and processed meats, physical inactivity and certain genetic mutations.

“But it’s very hard to say right now,” Pant says. “While the numbers are increasing, they are still very small.”

Pancreatic cancer symptoms can be easily confused with those of other illness, but may include jaundice, belly or back pain, weight loss and poor appetite and nausea and vomiting, according to the American Cancer Society.

Lippman-Kuban stresses the importance of getting evaluated by a doctor if you develop any symptoms. “If I had not pursued the pain and the treatment, I don’t know if I’d be here,” she says.

Sheriff’s Dept. program to track presence of flesh-eating street drug in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Times

Sheriff’s Dept. program to track presence of flesh-eating street drug in Los Angeles

Keri Blakinger – May 10, 2023

Armando Rivera, 33, smokes fentanyl mixed with methamphetamine in an alley in Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug.18, 2022. Use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is cheap to produce and is often sold as is or laced in other drugs, has exploded. Because it's 50 times more potent than heroin, even a small dose can be fatal. It has quickly become the deadliest drug in the nation, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) — A man smokes fentanyl mixed with methamphetamine in an alley in Los Angeles in August. “In the greater Los Angeles area we are seeing xylazine as an additive within fake fentanyl pills,” said Nicole Nishida, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (Jae C. Hong / AP)

Amid troubling signs that a dangerous sedative known as “tranq” has spread even further into the local street drug supply, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched a pilot program to better document the drug’s presence.

Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that began appearing several years ago in illicit pills and powders on the East Coast. It’s been linked to deaths across the country and can cause human tissue to rot, leaving users with grisly wounds that sometimes lead to amputations.

In early March, county health officials initially said they weren’t sure whether the deadly adulterant had begun appearing on the streets of Los Angeles. Weeks later, the Times learned that the Sheriff’s Department crime lab had been detecting signs of xylazine in drug samples for at least four years — but they’d never told the health department or the public.

At the time, department officials said that was because, despite its harms, xylazine is not illegal, so formally tracking it was beyond the scope of their work.

Now, though, the pilot program could help change that.

Starting in mid-April, crime lab analysts began making note of any preliminary signs of xylazine they spotted while testing samples of confiscated drugs. In the past, even when lab workers noticed test results that seemed to show the presence of xylazine, they didn’t typically make any note of it. Instead, they treated it like any other legal substances commonly used as additives in illegal drugs.

“There are a bunch of different additives — like vitamin C, which comes up a lot — that we don’t write down,” said Capt. Ernest Bille, who oversees the department’s Scientific Services Bureau. “The mission, given the volume of the caseload that we have, is to figure out: Is this a controlled substance or not?”

Over the course of a month-long trial run, officials hope to get a better sense of how often they typically see presumptive positives for xylazine. If the number is relatively low, they’ll keep tracking for another month, Bille said. If it’s high, they’ll begin figuring out standards for doing additional confirmatory tests in the future — just as they would for illegal drugs.

“This is going to be very unique for us, because I’m asking them to track a non-controlled substance,” Bille said.

The move to track the dangerous sedative — spurred in part by conversations with UCLA researchers who study illicit drugs — comes as federal data shows an uptick in the drug’s presence across the county and in Southern California.

“In the greater Los Angeles area we are seeing xylazine as an additive within fake fentanyl pills,” said Nicole Nishida, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “While the numbers are relatively low in our community compared to elsewhere in the United States, the presence of xylazine is now becoming more frequent and the trend is concerning.”

Federal data show that about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% fentanyl pills seized last year contained xylazine. Nishida said those figures were around 3% and 8% for the greater Los Angeles region over that same period.

Pieces of fentanyl in the palm of a hand. — A drug user in Los Angeles holds pieces of fentanyl in August. Federal data show that about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% fentanyl pills seized last year contained xylazine. Those figures were around 3% and 8% for the greater Los Angeles region over that same period. (Jae C. Hong / AP)

But those numbers might be less telling for Angelenos than they first appear: The Los Angeles Field Division’s region is so broad that it includes most of Southern California as well as Nevada, Hawaii and the territories of Guam and Saipan.

It’s not clear whether the xylazine samples were concentrated in one part of that region, and officials did not provide data more specific to Los Angeles County.

So far, law enforcement efforts to quantify and document the presence of xylazine in Los Angeles street drugs have been relatively limited — though, aside from the DEA figures, there are a growing number of signs of its presence.

An early public indication of the drug came in February, when a county health official confirmed to The Times that one man — a 25-year-old in El Monte — had trace levels of xylazine in his body when he died in December 2021. But the drug was present in such small amounts that the county medical examiner listed “combined effects of ethanol and fentanyl” as the cause of death.

Then in March, the county’s Department of Public Health issued a news release warning Angelenos that the sedative was “increasingly present within illicit drugs in California” and that it was now “likely present” in Los Angeles.

The news release mentioned the 2021 death and several others elsewhere in the state. However, although it said that xylazine had been detected in samples in cities to the north and to the south, it said nothing about whether there had been similar finds locally.

Then last month — a few weeks after the Sheriff’s Department admitted seeing signs of xylazine for at least four years — the UCLA researchers studying local street drugs confirmed finding the sedative in a sample of black tar heroin.

“It’s just another indication that it’s here in L.A.,” said Chelsea Shover, an epidemiologist and health services researcher at UCLA. “And it’s really important for people who use drugs to know that.”

One of the reasons xylazine is regarded as a particularly dangerous additive in street drugs is that, since it is not an opioid, the overdose-reversal medication naloxone is not effective on it.

Still, Shover said, if you believe that someone you know has overdosed on xylazine, the best course of action is to give them naloxone and call 911. Typically, xylazine is mixed with fentanyl to extend the drug’s high, so naloxone may still be effective.

“If you give someone naloxone but they’re still sedated, that’s a clue it could be xylazine,” Shover said. “Then call 911 for medical attention — but if you can’t do that, try to keep them comfortable and safe while they are sedated.”

For people who are using drugs but want to minimize the risk of ingesting xylazine, Shover said, there are now xylazine test strips available online.

Jury ruled trump must pay $5 million in sex abuse, defamation case. E. Jean Carroll Verdict

Chris Britt May 10, 2023

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