Wild story, but true. Blue M&Ms linked to reducing spine injury.

[sinkingfeeling]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/28/spinal.injury.blue.dye/index.html

The same blue food dye found in M&Ms and Gatorade could be used to reduce damage caused by spine injuries, offering a better chance of recovery, according to new research.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that when they injected the compound Brilliant Blue G (BBG) into rats suffering spinal cord injuries, the rodents were able to walk again, albeit with a limp.

The only side effect was that the treated mice temporarily turned blue.

[mod mom]

1. Wow off to hubbie who is recovering from C4-C6 incomplete tetraplegia!

Thanks for posting sinkingfeeling!

[Aragorn]

27. Vitamin M

I've said it for years. Look, candy starts with "c" so it must have vitamin C, right?

[mod mom]

28. I've always considered m&ms a major source of calcium, myself

;)

[dflprincess]

29. They are definitely one of the major food groups

I couldn't live without them.

[tridim]

2. Interesting, but that mouse looks REALLY bummed. nt

[Occulus]

3. It's just feeling a little blue.

:P

[Pyrzqxgl]

9. Aren't you supposed to feel bummed when you've got the blues?

[justiceischeap]

5. You'd be bummed too

If you were purposely given a spinal cord injury to see if blue M&Ms will heal said injury. Then of course, there's the whole mice and humans DO NOT have the same physiology. The closest animal to humans is actually pigs but they still aren't the same.

I'm sure there are some humans who would gladly eat a ton of blue M&Ms to see if it would help with their spinal cord injury.

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. But can you imagine how many blue M&Ms they'd have to feed that pig?

That's just silly.

[superduperfarleft]

26. +1/2. I doubt the pigs would like it much, either. n/t

[struggle4progress]

34. Well, somebody broke its back, then injected it with blue dye, so it's not exactly in mouse heaven

[AsahinaKimi]

35. The mouse looked bummed because

He thought he was going to get m&ms!

[MarjorieG]

4. That had to be a pretty massive dose...would the dye get assimilated later or be forever blue?

[Beetwasher]

6. Paging Veruca Salt

n/t

[iamjoy]

16. Violet Beauregarde

Veruca Salt was the "I want it NOW" brat

Violet was the gun chewing freak who turned into a blueberry. You know, "Violet, you're turning violet."

[Beetwasher]

17. Oops You're Right

Oh well.

[SoCalDem]

7. M&M dye affecting the central nervous system at all, should be the story here

:scared:..

[Deja Q]

13. But that's fearmongery...

:rofl:

[Owl]

18. Exactly! I'm addicted to M&M's... what are the other colors doing to me?

[liberal N proud]

25. It's what's inside that is really getting you

[csziggy]

37. Well, we know what the green M&Ms do!

http://www.snopes.com/risque/aphrodisiacs/mandms.asp

[undeterred]

39. absolutely

:shrug:

[Scout]

8. i wonder what Skittles would do? n/t

[Hawkeye-X]

19. Probably kick your ass..

knowing her...

[Scout]

20. i bet you're right! :rofl: Skittles COULD kick my ass if she was so inclined! n/

[havocmom]

22. she'd kick ass

same as she always does ;)

[donco6]

42. Skittles will soon join tanning beds as "worse than arsenic".

Mark my words.

[ZoltarSpeaks]

10. The "other" little blue pill

I'll bet some pharmaceutical companies are already at work scrubbing the little "m"s off before repackaging and reselling for a fortune. Let the ad campaigns begin.

[Deja Q]

11. As they aren't the cause of vasocongestion, I'm off to buy 50 pounds of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms

Peanut protein goodness, dark chocolate goodness for the heart, 50 pounds' worth may or may not add 500 pounds, and blue helps the spinal cord...


vasocongestion = blue balls ;)

[eleny]

12. That's the cutest mouse I've ever seen...

Won't be long before people start selling stuffed toys like this.

[Deja Q]

14. Turn the mouse upside down. If the balls are blue, does the stuffed toy still seem palatable?

:hide:

[smalll]

15. This HAS to be the next DU group project -- like sending roses or neckties --

we could send blue M&Ms to Harry Reid! (Grow a spine, Harry!)

[havocmom]

24. We have our WINNUR!

:rofl:

[gkhouston]

36. Even if every DUer contributed one million each, it probably wouldn't work.

But we could have some nice flamewars over who gets the green ones. :evilgrin:

[Caoimhe]

23. how cute is that mousey?

I think most people with spinal cord injuries would be willing to "smurf it up" temporarily if it means they could walk again.

Temporary being key. Unlike all the people duped by quacks promoting the "benefits" of colloidal silver, and not mentioning that it will PERMANENTLY turn you blue, like Stan Jones, the blue man candidate, remember him? He stopped taking the stuff and he's still blue. People still hawk the stuff. And other people still believe the claims. Sad.

[KittyWampus]

30. Remember, the RED ones make you horny. Or was it the green ones?

[juno jones]

31. So mebbe the green ones are aphrodesic after all???? ...n/t

[tblue37]

32. I think he looks cute blue (and liberal).

[Lugnut]

33. Wow!

I have a C-3, 4, 5 fusion with incomplete SCI.

[nilram]

38. ditto wow. I'm wondering if it would help peripheral neuropathy

which is my pain (literally). I think I'm going to have to get some m&m's and do some research...

[Lugnut]

43. I wonder as well.

I have neuropathy but no pain. My reflexes are hyper sensitive and I have a severe lack of protective sensation in my upper extremities, especially in my hands. I'm fortunatte to be able to walk but can only do so for short distances with a cane.

[dysfunctional press]

41. is the fusion natural or surgical...?

mine's natural.
my lumbar and cervical spinal sections are both completely fused, and my thoracic is on it's way.

[Lugnut]

44. Surgical

I had the fusion done at Jefferson in Philly in 1994 and was in a halo brace for three months. I have some natural fusion in my lumbar spine.

[dysfunctional press]

40. so i could have a schlong like dr. manhattan...?

AND my back wouldn't hurt so much...?

cool.

[Odin2005]

45. LOL, it;s a Democratic mouse!!!

:D