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What is pink cocaine? Dangerous drug cocktail reportedly linked to Liam Payne, others is revealed

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What is pink cocaine? Dangerous drug cocktail reportedly linked to Liam Payne, others is revealed

One Direction star Liam Payne’s initial toxicology report was released on Monday, exposing one or more drugs in his system.

The preliminary report “suggested evidence of exposure to cocaine,” an official told the Associated Press, before stating that the initial results were not an accurate reading of the amount that was circulating in his blood at the time of his death.

Last week, a preliminary autopsy report revealed that Payne, 31, died from “polytrauma” and “an internal and external hemorrhage” after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Buenos Aires.

MOURNING LIAM PAYNE: CELEBRITY DEATHS CAN CAUSE VERY REAL GRIEF, EXPERTS SAY

Investigators found narcotics and alcohol inside Payne’s hotel room amid broken objects and furniture, according to the AP.

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In a separate report, sources told ABC News that the toxicology results showed multiple substances in Payne’s system, including pink cocaine – a combination of various substances such as ketamine, MDMA, opioids and methamphetamine.

Liam Payne is shown attending The Fashion Awards 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 05, 2022, in London, England.   (Mike Marsland/WireImage)

Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at Ohio’s Lindner Center of HOPE, told Fox News Digital that pink cocaine – often called Tusi or Tuci – usually does not actually contain any cocaine.

The drug is typically a powdery mix that can contain psychoactive substances such as hallucinogens, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants and depressants, he said.

ONE DIRECTION LIAM PAYNE’S INITIAL TOXICOLOGY RESULTS REVEALED: REPORT

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The street drug with the bright coloring (due to food dye) has been growing in popularity due to its “psychedelic and stimulant properties,” Mell McCracken, executive director of No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.

“Users report that the ‘high’ is not too dissimilar to [that of] another ubiquitous street drug, ecstasy (aka Molly or MDMA),” the expert said. 

Bags containing a powder known as Tusi or pink cocaine are pictured in Medellin, Colombia, on April 2, 2022. (JOAQUIN SARMIENTO/AFP via Getty Images)

“Both have been reported to cause an increased sense of well-being, warmth and openness toward others and are very popular on the party circuit scene,” he added.

Pink cocaine can have “serious consequences,” the drug counselor warned, and can be fatal if taken in large doses.

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“While the psychedelic properties of pink cocaine can bring about feelings of euphoria, it can also cause anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks,” McCracken warned.

“Because it’s a stimulant, it causes increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature — a combination of factors that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.”

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Other side effects can include nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and tremors, McCracken said, while frequent use can lead to chronic mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, panic attacks and social phobias.

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Ketamine, Extasis, MDMA and Mezcaline are pictured before being mixed to produce a powder known as Tusi or pink cocaine in Medellin, Colombia, on April 2, 2022. (JOAQUIN SARMIENTO/AFP via Getty Images)

There has been an uptick of designer drugs that work by boosting dopamine, the “neurochemical that provides reward and pleasure,” Tuell added.

“A pink cocaine user can expect to experience the side effects of confusion, distorted thoughts and hallucinations,” he told Fox News Digital.

Pink cocaine has also been linked to a lawsuit against rapper and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs – who is currently awaiting trial for sex trafficking and other charges. It was named in the suit as one of his go-to drugs, according to Fox 5 New York and other sources.  

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Payne’s final toxicology results are still pending and are not expected to be made public for weeks, the AP reported.

Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed reporting. 

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY

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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

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WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER’S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS

At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

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Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

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“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

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Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

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Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

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“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

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Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

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“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















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