GAINZZZ Cafe

Mostly animal vids in this one.

One of the new weight-loss drugs, Wegovy, reduces heart attacks and strokes "in people at high risk."

I mean, to some extent, that's obvious: If you lose weight due to whatever reason, you're going to improve your cardiovascular health.

But these findings may make these drugs coverable by insurance and more readily available.

Wegovy, a weight-loss drug from Novo Nordisk, also helps prevent heart attacks and stroke in people at high risk, according to a company news release.

The trial of more than 17,000 adults 45 and older with obesity or overweight showed a 20% reduction in first heart attack, stroke or death from a cardiovascular event. Participants were given weekly injections of 2.4 mg of the drug semaglutide, sold as Wegovy, or a placebo, for as long as five years.

The results, released Tuesday, have not yet been peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal, and the Danish pharmaceutical company only provided limited information.

Doctors who treat patients with obesity were thrilled by the report, which is the first to show a major health benefit for a class of drugs first approved to treat people with diabetes.

"Obesity treatment is far more than about weight loss. It's about health improvement. It's about extending life," said Dr. Michael Albert, an obesity specialist in Oklahoma who runs a telehealth medical practice called Accomplish Health. "I think we'll look back and see this was a watershed moment (in the treatment of obesity)."

Albert, who has consulted for Novo Nordisk in the past, said he thinks the new trial will be enough to convince the federal government to cover the cost of Wegovy and weight-loss medications, known as GLP-1 agonists, which can run $1,300 a month or more without insurance.

...

Novo Nordisk's stock rose nearly 16% on Tuesday on the news of the study's result.

This plagues me: 80% of the time after I fall asleep, I wake up 10-20 minutes later.

Something that 70% of us experience, yet very few of us have even heard of: "hypnic jerks." Also known as sleep starts, sleep twitches or myoclonic jerks, the phenomenon tends to occur in the 10 minutes or so between the moment you go to sleep and the moment you actually fall asleep. As you're lying there with your eyes heavy and your breathing nice and rhythmic, your muscles suddenly contract in violent fashion, ripping you from your rest.

Sound familiar? It might not because a third of adults don't experience hypnic jerks, and many who do simply roll over and into their official sleep cycle (a little confused, but none the worse for wear). Still, others are familiar with the full suite; hypnic jerks can include hallucinogenic elements like perceived bangs or stomps and sensations of falling off a cliff or getting hit by a truck. I've had the former before -- I wouldn't recommend it. Some sleepers may even cry out when this happens. If you share a bed with a partner, you may have witnessed it firsthand.

It's possible that this all sounds unpleasant, if not a little alarming. In an age of careful and considered sleep hygiene -- with sleepers spending more time and money to make their little sleep havens as dark, cool and tech-less as possible -- should we be making a point to stamp out hypnic jerks, too? Are they negatively impacting our sleep patterns? The answer is more or less no. Sleep experts stress that research into hypnic jerks is light, but that's expressly because it's a harmless occurrence.

It's not harmless when it takes you 30 minutes to fall back asleep.

If hypnic jerks become a more frequent or intense in your wind-down routine, consider limiting your afternoon caffeine consumption. Other triggers: nicotine, exercise too late in the day...

As Bond told M in Never Say Never Again, approximately: "Very well, sir, I shall cut out the exercise."

No but I think I'll stop vaping an hour before bed, see if that improves things.

...stress and anxiety (e.g. working before bedtime, or laying there litigating the entirety of your day). Fortunately, the everyday switches that decrease your chance of a severe hypnic jerk will help you sleep better, anyway.

Maybe I'll get this book to help me sleep.

The Young Me watching that clip: Boy does James Bond look old

The Old Me watching that clip: Boy does Sean Connery look young

Cat wants to strengthen his core.

This doberman does not skip leg day.

Dig deep! DIIIIIG DEEEEP!

Dog is an avid fan of the racing sports.

98 year old completes a 5K in under an hour.

Typical female fitness influencer (mild content warning).

Gym geniuses:

I understand and approve of the pig one. It's a cute way to avoid touching your chest when benching. I suppose it's technically possible a girl might think you're interesting.

I ended a semi-fast earlier this week. Time to finally start lifting again. For real this time.

So, tell me about YO GAINZZZ.

And also -- any PLANZZZ, PROJEXXX, or good BOOXXXXX.

I won't ask about good movies -- I know there are none.

posted by Ace at 04:10 PM

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