Marijuana, other THC products may pose heart hazard, research shows
Is marijuana bad for your heart? New studies found growing evidence of a link between cannabis use and a higher risk of heart problems, including stroke and heart attacks.
Action News Jax's Atlanta station WSB-TV spoke with a grieving mother who believes her 25-year-old son's death from heart disease was caused by Delta-8 gummies.
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'That was my baby. That was my friend,' said Gladys Johnson.
She is heartbroken over the sudden death of her son, Darrell Johnson. She said he worked at Delta Air Lines as a baggage handler and was a healthy young man who liked to work out.
On March 10, 2024, he and his girlfriend bought several packages of 500-milligram THC gummies. He collapsed not long after eating them.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics and doctors, Darrell died at the hospital.
'I'm forever going through the moment losing my baby brother,' said Darrell's older brother, Travell Johnson.
According to the autopsy, Darrell died of atheroschlerotic cardiovascular disease caused by plaque buildup in the arteries.
A toxicology report shows he had Delta-8 THC in his system. Although the autopsy report mentions the presence of marijuana metabolites, it does not blame them for Darrell's death.
'If he knew that would have caused his heart to pump fast, he would have never messed with that stuff,' said Travell Johnson.
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Cardiologists like Dr. Pradyumna 'Prad' Tummala said evidence is growing that THC in marijuana, Delta-8 and Delta-9 can cause heart problems in some people.
'We really in the past decade have had some good studies that linked the use of marijuana, THC to more heart-related events including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, irregular heartbeat,' said Dr. Tummala.
A study published in February 2024 by the American Heart Association reports that 'using marijuana resulted in a 36% higher combined odds of coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke.'
Researchers said THC can inflame arteries and tissues, increasing the heart rate and blood pressure.
'The American Heart Association has data showing since legalization we have had more incidents of heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and strokes,' said Dr. Tummala.
The gummies Darrell bought are legal in Georgia as long as they contain 0.3% or less THC. The Executive Director of the Georgia Poison Center is sounding the alarm.
It received more than 1,000 calls in the last four years related to marijuana induced illness, half concerning children.
'We have cases where kids have gotten dizzy or drowsy. They've fallen, hit their head on a table,' said Dr. Gaylord Lopez, the Executive Director of the Georgia Poison Center.
He is pushing Georgia lawmakers to close loopholes in state laws on Delta products.
He said manufacturers can fortify hemp to make it more potent like marijuana.
'There are chemicals that are added to hemp to make it into these products like Delta-8 and Delta-9. So, it's not naturally occurring. These are synthetically produced. And that's what we want to shut down,' said Dr. Lopez.
Currently, there is no FDA regulation, oversight or quality control of these THC products.
A new Georgia law passed in 2024 requires stores to have proof their products were tested.
But Gladys Johnson wants more to be done to prevent tragedies like the death of her son.
'Somebody else going to die. I'm gonna try to save somebody else,' she said.
Dr. Tummala said he would discourage patients who have a history of heart disease from using marijuana and other THC products.
He said people who use marijuana or CBD for conditions such as seizures and pain control should talk to their doctor to weigh the risks versus the benefits.
*WSB-TV Atlanta contributed to this report.
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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
The Unhealthiest Canned Pastas You Should Avoid At All Costs
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We rounded up some of the unhealthiest canned pasta options on store shelves in an effort to help you navigate the tricky waters of canned, heavily processed food. We're breaking down the ingredients and highlighting some of the most concerning nutrition facts per can so you can make the best decisions possible for your health and wellness. Join us as we unveil the unhealthiest canned pastas on store shelves. Read more: The 14 Most Unhealthy Canned Soups You Can Buy At The Store The American Heart Association recommends that most people consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, with the preferred daily limit being no more than 1,500 milligrams. It should come as no surprise, then, that Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce isn't going to do you any favors in achieving this goal. At a whopping 1,050 milligrams per can, consuming this canned pasta could have you inching closer to your daily sodium limit in just a bowl or two. At the time of writing, Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce costs less than $1 per 15-ounce can, which, like many of the options on this list, is quite the bargain. Regardless, this pick is not only loaded with sodium but features other concerning nutritional aspects of note, including high sugar content. Yes, believe it or not, Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce contains added sugar -- and lots of it, at 10 grams per can. For reference, that's roughly the same amount of sugar you'd consume in a Dum-Dums lollipop. There's even high fructose corn syrup in the mix, which is a controversial sweetener that's been linked to an increased risk of obesity and health issues such as fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes when consumed in excess. Another Walmart contender sporting less-than-stellar nutritional stats, the Great Value Macaroni in Tomato & Beef Sauce features tubular noodles drenched in a beefy, tomatoey, and very salty sauce. This 15-ounce can of pasta includes 1,230 milligrams of sodium per can, which is more than half of the maximum amount we're recommended to consume in an entire day. Though Great Value Macaroni in Tomato & Beef Sauce doesn't quite feature as much added sugar as Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce at 5 grams per can, it does still contain high fructose corn syrup, which can spell trouble for your health when consumed too often. Other additives, such as potassium chloride and modified food starch, also make their appearance in this Walmart-branded macaroni and beef option. In case you decide to bite the bullet and purchase this unhealthy canned pasta for taste alone, think again. Customers state this is a poor excuse for macaroni and beef, citing minimal meat and too much tomato sauce as just a few of the reasons why Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce may not even be worth its low price tag. A can of Chef Boyardee pasta likely conjures up cozy childhood memories of simpler times (and yes, Chef Boyardee is a real chef who is even thought to have cooked for an American president), but throwing it into your cart for old times' sake might prove a mistake. Granted, making your own version of ravioli isn't quite as simple as opening a can and dumping it into a bowl, but given the contents of this product, finding a worthy homemade ravioli recipe might just prove a better option. Interestingly, Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Beef Ravioli prides itself in containing no artificial flavors and colors, or preservatives, but don't let the claims fool you -- this isn't a healthy canned pasta grab. Expect a number of additives, including soybean oil, caramel color, and high fructose corn syrup. You can also find a helping of about 320 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 52 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of added sugar in each can, alongside a whopping 1,350 milligrams of sodium. While a serving of Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Beef Ravioli will undoubtedly satisfy your appetite, this canned pasta is an additive-filled and extremely salty option you may wish to limit to only once or twice -- or never -- per week. Considering the fact that it doesn't contain meat, we thought that the Great Value Spaghetti Rings in Tomato Sauce may have drastically less sodium per can than Great Value Pasta Rings & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, but alas, we were wrong. Sure, the 970 milligrams of sodium found in this canned pasta is indeed less than its meaty counterpart, but not by much. The amount of sodium contained in Great Value Spaghetti Rings in Tomato Sauce still consumes a hefty chunk of your daily recommended intake. As for added sugar in Great Value Spaghetti Rings in Tomato Sauce, prepare to be floored. There's a whopping 18 grams of added sugar per can, which is more than you'll find in a McDonald's Baked Apple Pie. 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Besides excessive sodium, you'll also encounter ingredients you won't typically find in your typical pot of homemade spaghetti. Additions such as soy protein concentrate, soybean oil, and high fructose corn syrup all make a cameo in this canned pasta. Oh, and did we mention that the meatballs are partially made with mechanically separated chicken? This means the chicken used in the pasta was crammed into a sieve under high pressure to remove the bones from the meat and yield a smooth batter-like meat paste that acts as a key ingredient in the delicious Chef Boyardee meatballs. We're not sure we've ever had the pleasure of spotting canned macaroni and cheese on store shelves, making this Chef Boyardee Mac & Cheese option a unique pick. It's certainly convenient -- and maybe even tasty, according to a few consumer reports -- but this canned macaroni and cheese isn't exactly made up of the ingredients you'd expect. Here you'll find cheese flavor instead of real cheese, margarine instead of butter, and mono- and diglycerides. The latter are emulsifiers that can contain traces of trans fats, which, when consumed in high amounts, can lead to undesirable health outcomes. Lastly, Chef Boyardee Mac & Cheese contains an appalling 1,590 milligrams of sodium per 15-ounce can and 5 grams of saturated fat. On a positive note, there are at least no added sugars or high fructose corn syrup in the mix, which is a breath of fresh air compared to many of the canned pasta options on this list. Still, it's worth thinking twice before consuming Chef Boyardee Mac & Cheese, especially if you're looking to limit your saturated fat and sodium intake. SpaghettiOs Meatballs are certainly a fan favorite. Despite the big SpaghettiOs recall that pulled 15 million pounds of pasta from store shelves in 2010, this is still one brand that most people cherish with a child-like fondness. Despite its nostalgic appeal and slightly higher price point, SpaghettiOs Meatballs aren't much better for you than any other canned pasta product on this list. Each 15.6-ounce can of SpaghettiOs Meatballs contains 380 calories, along with 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 53 grams of carbohydrates, and 9 grams of added sugar. And though SpaghettiOs Meatballs supposedly contain 20% of your daily vegetables per 1 cup, it doesn't negate the fact that it also contains 1,000 milligrams of sodium per can, which is nearly half of your recommended daily intake. Additives such as dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, and soy protein concentrate are also listed as some of its ingredients, making it an unwholesome canned pasta choice overall. Annie's Organic Bernie O's isn't your typical canned pasta. It was created by, well, Annie, who is also behind the ever-popular Annie's Homegrown Mac and Cheese. Thanks to Annie's reputation for better-for-you ingredients, it might surprise you to find it a part of our unhealthiest canned pasta list. The good news is that Annie's Organic Bernie O's pasta doesn't feature the same lengthy list of additives as many other canned pasta products but instead focuses on wholesome components such as organic pasta, organic tomato paste, sea salt, and organic cheddar cheese. So, what's the fuss? Sadly, a can of Annie's Organic Bernie O's contains 1,160 milligrams of sodium, 49 grams of carbohydrates, and 7 grams of added sugar, putting it on par with other canned pastas on the list despite its wholesome ingredients. Thus, while this Annie's pasta product is certainly a better pick than the average can of SpaghettiOs ingredients-wise, its sodium and sugar content still leave more to be desired. Canned chili mac sounds like a simple, delicious, and nutritious way to get lunch on the table, right? Well, not quite. 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We hate to highlight yet another Annie's pick as unhealthy, but when it comes to some nutritional categories, a can of Annie's Organic All Stars simply isn't the best choice. Like the other Annie's organic canned pasta options on this list, it comes with organic ingredients you don't normally see in canned pasta products. It also lacks high fructose corn syrup or hard-to-pronounce additives. Despite its wholesome components, a can of Annie's Organic All Stars contains a concerning 1,150 milligrams of sodium per can. The general recommendation for sodium intake is even less for children than adults, with those between the ages of 4 and 8 recommended to consume only 1,500 milligrams or less. That means you may want to be careful about how much (and how often) you plate this pasta up for your kiddos. Also, be sure to watch for added sugar when consuming Annie's Organic All Stars. You'll only get 210 calories and 0 grams of saturated fat per can, but there's still 44 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams of added sugar, which is a hefty amount for a non-dessert food option. Annie's Organic Cheesy Ravioli is the last from the Annie's brand in our unhealthiest canned pasta series. Like the others, this canned pasta seems okay at first glance. Inside, you'll find Annie's ravioli shells stuffed with cheese and drenched in tomato sauce. As always, the ingredients used by this brand are quite impressive and include organic brown rice flour, organic wheat flour, sea salt, and real, organic cheddar cheese. Still, at 1,070 milligrams of sodium per can, we can hardly regard this option as a healthy choice, especially when offered to children. That said, high sodium isn't the only thing to watch out for when considering Annie's Organic Cheesy Ravioli. While other Annie's canned pasta options on this list also contain added sugar, this particular variety takes the cake. Expect Annie's Organic Cheesy Ravioli to contain as much as 9 added grams of sugar per can, which is quite the feat. After all, this is pasta and not a cookie, right? Like the meatball variety of the same product, SpaghettiOs Original is an old-school, ready-to-eat meal that's held near and dear to many hearts. Unfortunately, this canned pasta contains the same concerning ingredients and nutritional issues as many of the other options on this list, making it quite an unhealthy pick despite the nostalgia-based adoration it receives from fans. Starting with the ingredients, expect SpaghettiOs Original to contain high fructose corn syrup and various additives also found in most other non-organic canned pasta products. As you can probably imagine, SpaghettiOs Original is high in sodium, with 1,070 milligrams in every 15.8-ounce can. To make matters worse, SpaghettiOs Original has one of the highest sugar totals we've seen in canned pasta, with a shocking 11 grams of added sugar. Need ideas for making SpaghettiOs at least a tiny bit healthier? If you must, consider adding shredded zucchini to the mix, or at least serving it with a side salad or roasted broccoli. In general, though, we'd recommend skipping this canned pasta dish or consuming it in moderation. SpaghettiOs Original may seem like a fun way to reminisce on old times, but with nutritional stats like these, there are definitely stronger choices out there. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
The Hill
3 days ago
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Medscape
3 days ago
- Medscape
New Heart Risk Tool Reveals Hidden Ethnic Patterns
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