Can't drink coffee during recovery from COVID-19? Here comes the January scientific rumor list!

1. Do not drink coffee during the recovery period of COVID-19 infection

Rumor: You cannot drink coffee if you are infected with the new coronavirus because caffeine will speed up your heart rate and affect recovery.

Truth: This is probably an over-concern. Drinking coffee may increase your heart rate and slightly raise your blood pressure, because caffeine can promote the release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerve endings, which speeds up your heart rate and strengthens your myocardial contractility. But it is certain that the amount of caffeine you normally consume from drinking coffee will not cause arrhythmias or other additional risks. So far, no research has suggested that drinking coffee is detrimental to recovery from COVID-19 infection.

Source: Zhuozheng Popular Science (selected by Tencent)

2. Infection with XBB strains can easily lead to severe diarrhea, so you should prepare montmorillonite powder

Rumor content: Strain XBB 1.5 mainly attacks the digestive tract and requires preparation of montmorillonite powder.

Truth Interpretation: The World Health Organization has issued a statement: Based on the current data, the severity of infection with XBB is not significantly different from other strains of Omicron, and there is no mention of mainly attacking the gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea. New coronavirus infection may indeed cause gastrointestinal symptoms, but diarrhea and vomiting are not the main symptoms of the new coronavirus. Even if diarrhea occurs, viral diarrhea mainly relies on self-healing. In this process, what is more worthy of attention is to prevent dehydration and electrolyte disorders through rehydration salts, rather than taking montmorillonite to stop diarrhea.

Source: Dr. Pei, Pediatric Surgeon (selected by Tencent), Science Popularization China

3. Citrus fruits are treated with preservatives, which is not good for your health

Rumor: After picking citrus fruits, they must be soaked in "fresh water", which is bad for the body and cannot be eaten.

Truth Interpretation: You don’t have to worry too much. Citrus does need to be preserved after picking, because the citrus skin is thin and tender, and is easily damaged by mechanical damage. Various pathogens lurking in the environment (especially molds) will take the opportunity to invade through the wounds, causing post-harvest diseases in the citrus fruit, making the surface of the citrus fruit "moldy", causing the entire fruit to rot and become inedible, and it is easy to spread to other citrus placed together. Therefore, citrus needs to be treated with preservatives to inhibit pathogens and avoid losses. The correct use of preservatives specified in national standards and the detection of pesticide residues can ensure that the pesticide residues in citrus meet health standards. In addition, the preservatives used for citrus are low-toxic/slightly toxic to humans, and we usually don’t eat orange peels directly.

Source: Science Refutes Rumors

4. The standard for recovery from COVID-19 is to be able to hold your breath for 40 seconds

Rumor content: Even if the test result has turned negative after being infected with the new coronavirus, if you cannot hold your breath for less than 40 seconds, it means there is a problem with your lungs.

Truth interpretation: There is no basis for this judgment method. In the recent versions of the new crown diagnosis and treatment plan, the evaluation criteria for recovery and discharge from the new crown virus infection usually include the following aspects: body temperature, symptoms, imaging, nucleic acid testing (no longer required from the tenth edition of the diagnosis and treatment plan), and there is no mention of "holding breath", which shows that "holding breath for more than 40 seconds" is not used as a standard for recovery from the new crown. From a medical point of view, there is no clear correspondence between changes in vital capacity and pneumonia. Moreover, each person's lung reserve capacity, lung parenchyma, airway elasticity, etc. are also different, and these factors will affect the changes and differences in vital capacity. Therefore, whether holding your breath is used to judge recovery from new crown infection or to test lung health, it is unreliable.

Source: Tencent is serious, Toutiao refutes rumors

5. Coenzyme Q10 can prevent and treat myocarditis induced by COVID-19 infection

Rumor content: Coenzyme Q10 can prevent viral myocarditis and treat heart disease, so a large amount of coenzyme Q10 is needed after being infected with the new coronavirus.

Truth Interpretation: There is currently no evidence that Coenzyme Q10 can prevent myocarditis induced by COVID-19 infection. Coenzyme Q10 has not been approved by the FDA for the treatment of any disease and is only allowed to be sold as a dietary supplement. Coenzyme Q10 can only play an auxiliary role in heart diseases, and the so-called prevention of myocarditis is purely exaggerated. Moreover, the coenzyme Q10 in the human body is mainly synthesized by itself, and a small amount of supplementation from food is not easy to be deficient. When the human body is not deficient in coenzyme Q10, a large amount of supplementation does not bring additional benefits. Coenzyme Q10 needs to be taken under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist. As a health product, it is not recommended to take it in large quantities for a long time.

Source: Tencent is serious, Toutiao refutes rumors

6. Rabbits love carrots

Myth: Carrots are rabbits' favorite food.

Truth: This is a common misunderstanding. Wild rabbits love the seedlings and young leaves of alfalfa and legume plants the most, not carrots. Besides, carrots are crops grown by humans, and wild rabbits do not have many opportunities to eat carrots. In addition, carrots are high in sugar, which is not suitable for the digestive system of wild rabbits. Domestic rabbits are domesticated species of wild rabbits, and most of their habits are the same as those of wild rabbits. In the process of raising domestic rabbits, since they cannot make their own choices when fed by humans, and they have a wide range of food, they cannot refuse if they are fed carrots. In addition, some literary and artistic works often link carrots with rabbits, which has led to the widespread spread of this misunderstanding.

Source: Science Refutes Rumors

About the Science Rumors List

Released by the China Association for Science and Technology, the list is reviewed by experts every month. Based on criteria such as timeliness and harmfulness, hot rumors are selected for special interpretation and pushed across the entire network.

Jointly published: Scientific rumor-busting platform, China Internet Joint Rumor-busting Platform, "Study to Strengthen the Country" learning platform

Platform support: Tencent Jiuzhen, Weibo Rumor Refutation, Toutiao Rumor Refutation, Douyin, Dad Review, NetEase Health

List of review experts (in order of the number of strokes of surnames)

Liu Guiyang Chief Pharmacist, Fourth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Zhang Yu, researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Chen Peng, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, Nankai University

Huang Chengming, Researcher, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Han Hongwei, Director of Risk Communication Department, National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

This article is produced by the "Science Rumor Refutation Platform" (ID: Science_Facts). Please indicate the source when reprinting.

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