Shun energy drinks for strong heart
People with high blood pressure or heart problems should be careful about consuming ‘energy drinks’ as they could trigger cardiac arrest, doctors warn. The drinks, which often contain large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants like taurine, raise blood pressure and could raise the chance of having an irregular heartbeat, they concluded after looking at results from seven studies. The drinks also lengthened a phase of the heart’s electrical cycle called the ‘QT interval’. Having a long QT interval is a sign a person is at greater risk of suffering from an irregular heartbeat, which can be fatal. The doctors concluded that drinking one to three cans raised the QT interval by 10 milliseconds.
AutismIJ Blame late fatherhood
Men who became fathers over the age of 50 have between a 67 and 79 per cent greater chance of going on to have an autistic grandchild, than those who reach fatherhood in their early 20s, according to research that suggests the risk of the condition can accumulate over the generations. Experts from Sweden, the UK, and Australia drew their conclusions after looking at the family trees of 36,000 Swedes, including almost 6,000 with autism. Emma Frans, lead author of the study, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said: “We know from previous studies that older paternal age is a risk factor for autism. This study goes beyond that and suggests that older grandpaternal age is also a risk factor for autism, suggesting that risk factors for autism can build up through generations.”
Women at 30 are most attractive
People are at their most attractive entering their thirties, according to new research which suggested women are “most beautiful” at 30 and men “most handsome” at 34. The study of 2,000 people across the United States found women were considered to have reached their peak at 30, start to show signs of ageing at 41, stop looking “sexy” at 53, and are “old” at 55. Men looked their best at 34, start to show signs of ageing at 43, stop looking good at 58, and are “old” at 59. High profile women currently aged 30 include Hollywood stars Anne Hathaway and Kirsten Dunst, and Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss. Men aged 34 include the actor James Franco, star of Oz The Great and Powerful which is currently dominating the UK box office.
