Using Magnets to Help Prevent Heart Attacks: Magnetic Field Can Reduce Blood Viscosity...

Science Daily ^ | 06-07-2011 | Staff + Temple University

[Red Badger]

If a person's blood becomes too thick it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks. But a Temple University physicist has discovered that he can thin the human blood by subjecting it to a magnetic field.

[snip]

Because red blood cells contain iron, Tao has been able to reduce a person's blood viscosity by 20-30 percent by subjecting it to a magnetic field of 1.3 Telsa (about the same as an MRI) for about one minute.

Tao and his collaborator tested numerous blood samples in a Temple lab and found that the magnetic field polarizes the red blood cells causing them to link together in short chains, streamlining the movement of the blood. Because these chains are larger than the single blood cells, they flow down the center, reducing the friction against the walls of the blood vessels. The combined effects reduce the viscosity of the blood, helping it to flow more freely.

When the magnetic field was taken away, the blood's original viscosity state slowly returned, but over a period of several hours.

"By selecting a suitable magnetic field strength and pulse duration, we will be able to control the size of the aggregated red-cell chains, hence to control the blood's viscosity," said Tao. "This method of magneto-rheology provides an effective way to control the blood viscosity within a selected range."

Currently, the only method for thinning blood is through drugs such as aspirin; however, these drugs often produce unwanted side effects. Tao said that the magnetic field method is not only safer, it is repeatable. The magnetic fields may be reapplied and the viscosity reduced again. He also added that the viscosity reduction does not affect the red blood cells' normal function.

[Right Wing Assault]

All this time I thought living under these high voltage power lines was a bad thing.

AC lines flip the orientation of the N-S magnetic (and electric) field 60 times per second. I think that was the problem. This therapy would have to have a field whose direction was constant.

You can buy 1.4 tesla magnets that are 1/8" cubes for 25 cents. Of course, you would need a lot of those to do the job for total body immersion when spaced 6 feet apart.

[donhunt]

FLASH!! FLASH!! Cell phones are now good for you.
I gotta’ contact TracPhone.

[algernonpj]

... Amazing!................I can see the late nite infomercials now!...........

I wonder how the strength of the magnets in the study compares to the magnetic bracelets and necklaces that are sold to improve one's health>

[Red Badger]

Miniscule by comparison. Maybe even Micro-miniscule,

The level of magnetism in a magnetic bracelet an MRI is like the difference between a pea shooter and an artillery piece..................

[algernonpj]

Thanks for the info.

[roadcat]

I wonder how the strength of the magnets in the study compares to the magnetic bracelets and necklaces that are sold to improve one's health

About 15 years ago I had an accident while ice skating, and messed up some ligaments in my ankle. Extremely painful. Next day, while on crutches, visited the Mystery Spot near Santa Cruz, CA. Planned outing with extended family visiting and did not want to miss it. The Mystery Spot has magnetic anomalies there. Amazingly, much of the pain I was feeling went away.

I bought magnetic bandages for my ankle and wore them every day. Two weeks later my doctor was amazed at how quickly my ankle had healed. Maybe the magnets helped the blood flow in my leg.

[algernonpj]

thanks

[Ancient Drive]

LoL

[Spunky]

My husband had an artificial Aortic Valve put in almost 18 yrs ago. Because it was an artificial valve they put him on Coumadin. They did have to check his blood every two weeks because his Pro-Time always changed. There were a few times when they would let it go a month. He did have a bleed through in his brain in 2001. Last year they saw that the valve was closing off due to scar tissue, so he had another Aortic Valve put in. This time it was the pig valve. He no longer has to be on Coumadin, but he is on a baby asperin (85 mg) a day.

I know of several people who are on Asperin and Plavix and they never check their blood for clotting. I don't know how much asperin they had her on, but it sounds to me like it was the asperin that ate through her stomach.

[Buckeye McFrog]

so....is the electromagnetic radiation coming from your cell phone good for you, or not? I’m confused.

[Red Badger]

Magnetism and RF radiation are two different things......................

[Maverick68]

b

[steelyourfaith]

bttt

[Right Wing Assault]

Electromagnetic radiation is usually alternating. Radio frequencies are of this type. EM radiation can also be a pulse. EM radiation, as its name implies, is composed of a varying electric field and a varying magnetic field. They are out of phase with each other. These EM fields are the one some people think are bad for you, depending on the energy absorbed by your body.

Whether cell phone EM radiation is bad, I don’t know. The jury is out on that one, I think.

A magnetic field is just that. With a magnet, the field is constant. With an electromagnet, the magnetic field can be constant if the current in the wires is constant or varying is the current varies. If the current reversed direction, the magnet polarity reverses. I haven’t heard anyone say magnetic fields alone are bad for people, but I may be wrong.

My guess is that the magnetic field in this blood therapy is relatively constant to get the blood cells to get organized in one direction. Flipping the field back and forth would seem to be counterproductive.