It’s science

Viagra was initially studied for use as a high blood pressure drug; penile erections were just a side effect. Today it is still used for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and high-altitude pulmonary edema.

Oral rehydration therapy is just a not-really-fancy name for drinking a solution of salt and sugar (e.g. Gatorade) to treat dehydration. The sodium is first absorbed through the intestine via facilitated diffusion, and then glucose follows via co-transport. The resulting concentration gradient causes osmosis. Without both salt and sugar, the process won’t work– so be sure to have both when you’re hungover!

I often hear that life expectancy is increasing, so for a while I thought I might live to be 100 rather than today’s 75 or so. However, upon further reflection the increase in average life expectancy is probably coming from improvements in the “low-life” end through breakthroughs in treating heart attacks, cancer, etc. rather than any kind of anti-aging therapy. Thus, unless I get really ill the medical advances in the last few decades will likely be largely personally irrelevant (aside from cooler episodes of House, and my first paragraph). Boo.

I want you to donate your body to science, and I’m science.