About white paint, white toothpaste, etc...

Incredible... what next?

Possible link found between diabetes and common white pigment
20 Jun 2018

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-06-link-diabetes-common-white-pigment.html

In a pilot study by a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, crystalline particles of titanium dioxide—the most common white pigment in everyday products ranging from paint to candies—were found in pancreas specimens with Type 2 diabetes, suggesting that exposure to the white pigment is associated with the disease.

The team examined 11 pancreas specimens, eight of which were from donors who had Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and three from donors who did not. Whereas the three non-diabetic pancreatic tissue specimens contained no detectable TiO2 crystals, the crystals were detected in all of the eight T2D pancreatic tissue specimens. The UT Austin researchers found more than 200 million TiO2 crystallites per gram of TiO2 particles in the specimens from T2D donors but not in the three specimens from non-diabetic donors. They published their findings last month in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

In the mid-20th century, titanium dioxide pigment replaced highly toxic lead-based pigments. It became the most commonly used white pigment in paints and in foods, medications, toothpaste, cosmetics, plastics and paper. As a result, annual production of titanium dioxide has increased by 4 million tons since the 1960s.

"The increased use of titanium dioxide over the last five decades could be a factor in the Type 2 diabetes epidemic," Heller said. "The dominant T2D-associated pancreatic particles consist of TiO2 crystals, which are used as a colorant in foods, medications and indoor wall paint, and they are transported to the pancreas in the bloodstream. The study raises the possibility that humanity's increasing use of TiO2 pigment accounts for part of the global increase in the incidence of T2D."

Important to note. A link does not equal causation. TiO2 likely does not cause diabetes by itself. It is probably a combined effect from the sugar in the foods and the depression of insulin sensitivity.

There is also a link to mouthwash used and diabetes type 2. Does Diabetes increase mouth wash use or vice versa?

cwbullet said:

Important to note. A link does not equal causation. TiO2 likely does not cause diabetes by itself. It is probably a combined effect from the sugar in the foods and the depression of insulin sensitivity.

There is also a link to mouthwash used and Diabetes type 2. Does Diabetes increase moth wash use or vice versa?

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True, correlation does not prove causation, and I never said TiO2 alone caused it, but when out of 11 people tested, all of the diabetics tested positive and none of the non-diabetics did, it makes you go hmmmmmm even at the small testing numbers. Crystal induced kidney damage is a known disorder, so I can image that something similar might damage the pancreas.

On the mouthwash, what's the suspected link? Alcohol in the mouthwash, the same thing which has been suspected for a slightly higher risk for oral cancer (which is why they now have alcohol free mouthwashes)?

I was not criticizing. I was clarifying for the audience. As a practicing physician, I get patient all the time who read a study and jump all over dropping the item from their diet. For example, one study linked artificial sweeteners consumptions with increase weight and diabetes. Most news articles jumped on this and said they cause the disease. I am quick to point that a link is not causation for this reason. The reason there is a link between artificial sweeteners and obesity is the fact that the obese are more likely to consume them. Also, it is possible that they also tend eat more of other foods, but that is conjecture.

I would like to see more studies on TiO2, but there is a lot out there to make you think we should avoid it: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4309481/

I had a statistics professor who gave a great example of how you could analyze data incorrectly. I don't remember the details of the example, but it was something like this:

Houston, TX over a 10 year period:
There were twice as many murders per year at the end of the period as there were at the beginning.
During the same time period the number of preachers in Houston also doubled.
Once could argue that the number of murders was directly correlated to the number of preachers.

If you analyzed all of the data you would have also learned that the population doubled from the beginning of the period to the end. Therefore, the murder rate per capita was unchanged. Twice as many people meant twice as many murderers and twice as many victims. There were twice as many preachers as there were twice as many people to be served. The number of preachers had nothing to do with the number of murders.

Brits have nothing to fear

A lot of TiO2 being used in a lot of products. The ones that scare me are things like sunscreen, cosmetics and food dyes that use nanoparticle-size TiO2 as a whitener. The particle size makes it easy for them to enter the bloodstream. I suspect it is a ticking time-bomb in our health system.

OverTheTop said:

A lot of TiO2 being used in a lot of products. The ones that scare me are things like sunscreen, cosmetics and food dyes that use nanoparticle-size TiO2 as a whitener. The particle size makes it easy for them to enter the bloodstream. I suspect it is a ticking time-bomb in our health system.

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So does that mean I should NOT use Rustoleum 2x gloss white as sun screen? I’m confused...


[emoji12]

TiO2 has a low to no absorbsnce through the skin. The risk from sun screen is lower than the threat caused by sun exposure.

Just don’t lick it off you hands or snort it through your nose.

snrkl said:

So does that mean I should NOT use Rustoleum 2x gloss white as sun screen?

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Not as toothpaste...

neil_w said:

Not as toothpaste...

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Now that would be tasty.

cwbullet said:

TiO2 has a low to no absorbsnce through the skin. The risk from sun screen is lower than the threat caused by sun exposure.

Just don’t lick it off you hands or snort it through your nose.

Click to expand...

From my research this AM, done before visiting here today, research inspired more by curiosity than alarm, I agree. However, TiO2 is virtually EVERYWHERE in foods.

TiO2 is obviously not the only factor or, perhaps, even a significant one in the development of diabetes since it is so prevalent in foods and other consumer products that if it were a significant factor, virtually EVERYONE should be diabetic. TiO2 accumulation in the pancreas could be CAUSED by diabetes rather than a cause of it. OR it could be a cause but, just as diabetes is genetically linked throughout generations, the reason for the TiO2 accumulation in the first place might be related to those same genetic factors.

I'd guess that BY FAR the most common route to TiO2 ingestion is via daily use of white toothpastes and consumption of the MANY food products which contain it.

Hidden Brain Risk in Foods and Cosmetics
20 Jan 2016

Story at-a-glance:

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles may lead to neurological dysfunction, genetic disorders, and possibly cancer
Candies, sweets and chewing gum, along with toothpaste and sunscreen, have been found to contain the highest levels of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Children may receive the highest exposure levels (two to four times more than adults) of titanium dioxide nanoparticles
Millions of tons of titanium dioxide are produced globally each year. It adds whiteness and brightness to products and also helps them resist discoloration. Titanium dioxide also reflects ultraviolet (UV) light, which is why it's often used as an ingredient in sunscreens.

Most titanium dioxide (close to 70 percent) is used as a pigment in paints, but it's also added to cosmetics, toothpastes, pharmaceuticals, paper and food.

Titanium dioxide is generally considered to be a relatively inert, safe material, but an increasing number of products are now using titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and that may change everything.

Nanoparticles are ultramicroscopic in size, making them able to readily penetrate your skin and travel to underlying blood vessels and your bloodstream.

Evidence suggests that some nanoparticles may induce toxic effects in your brain and cause nerve damage, and some may also be carcinogenic.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen, which means it's "possibly carcinogenic to humans." This was based on an animal study showing inhaling high concentrations of titanium dioxide dust may lead to lung cancer.

Is Titanium Dioxide in Foods Dangerous?

Candies, sweets and chewing gum have been found to contain the highest levels of titanium dioxide. White powdered doughnuts, candies and gums with hard shells, products with white icing and even bread, mayonnaise, yogurt and other dairy products may contain titanium dioxide.

As such, one analysis of exposure to titanium dioxide through foods found children receive the highest exposure levels (two to four times more than adults) because it's so commonly added to sweets. Only a "limited number" of the products tested in one study listed titanium dioxide on the label.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration actually allows manufacturers to use up to 1 percent food-grade titanium dioxide without declaring it on labels.

It should be noted that many titanium particles used in food products are not nanoparticles (defined as smaller than 100 nanometers in diameter). However, some are.

According to research published in Environmental Science and Technology, up to 36 percent of the titanium dioxide found in nearly 90 food products was of the nanoparticle variety.

It's unclear what health risks may be linked to ingestion of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, but research suggests there's cause for concern.

One animal study published in Cancer Research, for instance, found titanium dioxide nanoparticles may induce clastogenicity (causing breaks in chromosomes), genotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage and inflammation.

The researchers suggested they may be a cause of caner or genetic disorders and concluded:5

"These results have been observed after only 5 days of treatment via drinking water, and in multiple organs suggesting a systemic effect …

We also showed that in utero exposure to TiO2 NPs [titanium dioxide nanoparticles] results in an increased frequency in DNA deletions in the fetus.

… These data suggest that we should be concerned about a potential risk of cancer or genetic disorders especially for people occupationally exposed to high concentrations of TiO2 NPs

…[A]nd that it might be prudent to limit ingestion of TiO2 NPs through nonessential drug additives, food colors etc."

Hidden Brain Risk in Foods and Cosmetics (continued)
20 Jan 2016

The use of nanoparticles is increasing rapidly, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles are the second most produced engineered nanomaterial in the world.

Its usage in consumer products has outpaced the research into its safety, such that humans are being repeatedly exposed before we know the consequences. What is known, however, is that titanium dioxide nanoparticles are capable of moving from your lungs or gastrointestinal tract to other organs.

Further, animal studies indicate significant accumulation of nanoparticles in the brain, while toxicity studies have shown the particles have negative effects on brain cell viability and function.

One recent study even showed titanium dioxide nanoparticles induced "an increase in reactive oxygen species generation, and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting mitochondrial damage."

The researchers believe exposure to the particles may lead to neurological dysfunction. Specifically, the nanoparticles were found to harm astrocyte cells, which help regulate serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters.

High levels of exposure (100 parts per million) killed two-thirds of such brain cells within one day. It also harmed the cells' mitochondria, which may ultimately lead to cell death.

Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Damage

The study also revealed that astrocyte cells that weren't killed were left damaged; they became unable to absorb glutamate, a neurotransmitter, such that it accumulated outside the cell, which may be implicated in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.10
Other research also suggests titanium dioxide nanoparticles may have hidden brain risks. For instance:

Prenatal exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles may result in alteration to the cerebral cortex, olfactory bulb and brain regions intimately related to dopamine systems of offspring mice.

Exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles may alter oxidative and inflammatory responses as well as the renin-angiotensin system in the brain (which plays a role in cardiovascular health, including hypertension, and aging), thereby modulating brain function.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) induce strong oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in glial cells in your brain.
According to research published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine:

"TiO2 NPs can enter directly into the brain through the olfactory bulb and can be deposited in the hippocampus region …
TiO2 NPs … produced morphological changes, damage of mitochondria, and an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating toxicity."

What About Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Personal Care Products?

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are found most often in personal care products such as toothpaste, sunscreen and, to a lesser extent, shampoos, deodorants, and shaving creams. As with food, use of these nanoparticles in personal care products is on the rise.

In 2005, about 1,300 metric tons were used in personal care products, but this had increased to 5,000 metric tons by 2010 and is expected to continue increasing until at least 2025.

Although most studies suggest titanium dioxide does not penetrate human skin, even in nanoparticle form, one study found that the nanoparticles could possibly penetrate the outer layer of skin depending on the particle coating and skin (with or without hair).

As further reported in Environmental Science and Toxicology:

"The only FDA-stipulated limitation for sunscreens is that the TiO2 concentration be less than 25%. Most have a lower concentration, between 2% and 15%.

With the wide prevalence of sunscreen use and the lack of a distinction between TiO2 nanomaterials and larger-sized particles, the general public is being exposed to nanomaterials of which they are largely ignorant."

Environmental Risks Are Unknown

Also concerning is what happens when all of the nanoparticles in personal care products (and excreted after they're consumed in your food) are washed down the drain and flushed down the toilet. Study author Paul Westerhoff, a professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and The Built Environment at Arizona State University and Senior Sustainability Scientist to the Global Institute of Sustainability, told Nanowerk:

"… [W]e can expect the percentage of TiO2 [titanium dioxide] that is produced in or near the nano range to increase. TiO2 nanomaterials in foods, consumer products, and household products are discharged as feces/urine, washed off of surfaces, or disposed of to sewage that enters wastewater treatment plants.

While these plants capture most of the TiO2, nanoparticles measuring between 4 and 30 nm were still found in the treated effluent. These nanomaterials are then released to surface waters, where they can interact with living organisms."
Tips for Avoiding Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are ubiquitous in processed foods, so the best way to avoid them is to eat real food. To avoid these particles in your toothpaste, consider making your own out of coconut oil. As for sunscreen, the other major source, first realize that titanium dioxide (and zinc oxide) is a top choice for sun protection (and doesn't carry the same risks as hormone-disrupting sunscreen chemical oxybenzone).

To be on the safe side, however, look for non-nanoparticle titanium dioxide that is tested and guaranteed to be non-nano. Further, minimize your sunscreen use as much as possible, using it only when you'll be in the sun for extended periods and the use of clothing to cover-up or going into the shade aren't options.

Titanium dioxide food additive under review, after study finds cancer links
28 Jan 2017

https://www.smh.com.au/business/con...study-finds-cancer-links-20170127-gu03ao.html

Exposure to nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and other additives has previously been shown to interfere with the immune system and cause cell damage, however such impacts remain under debate.

But a study by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, recently published in the journal Nature, has shown for the first time that titanium dioxide nanoparticles are absorbed by the intestine and passed into the bloodstream of animals after oral exposure.

Researchers on the study exposed rats to regular oral doses of titanium dioxide for 100 days, in quantities reflecting that experienced by humans through food consumption.

Their results determined that chronic oral exposure led to a non-malignant stage of carcinogenesis, the process of normal cells becoming cancer cells, in 40 percent of exposed animals.

Which leads us back to this:

Association of Type 2 Diabetes with Submicron [aka nanoparticle - W] Titanium Dioxide Crystals in the Pancreas
John J. McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and Texas Materials Institute, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
24 May 2018

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.8b00047

Pigment-grade titanium dioxide (TiO2) of 200–300 nm particle diameter is the most widely used submicron-sized particle material. Inhaled and ingested TiO2 particles enter the bloodstream, are phagocytized by macrophages and neutrophils, are inflammatory, and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. In this pilot study of 11 pancreatic specimens, 8 of the type 2 diabetic pancreas and 3 of the nondiabetic pancreas, we show that particles comprising 110 ± 70 nm average diameter TiO2 monocrystals abound in the type 2 diabetic pancreas, but not in the nondiabetic pancreas. In the type 2 diabetic pancreas, the count of the crystals is as high as 108–109 per gram.

Inhaled and ingested submicron and micron-sized crystals and crystal aggregates are associated with chronic inflammatory degenerative diseases. Diseases of the lung, exemplified by silicosis and asbestosis, result of inhalation of crystalline silica and asbestos. Crystals of sodium urate, cystine, calcium oxalate dihydrate and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate are associated with chronic inflammatory degenerative diseases of the joints, kidneys, and urinary tract.

Pigment-grade TiO2, typically of rutile phase and of 200–300 nm particle diameter, about half the wavelength of visible light, is widely used. Because of its 2.6 index of refraction, it constitutes the dominant light-scattering, that is, “white” component of indoor wall paints, drinks, foods, toothpastes, medications, cosmetics, paper, and plastics. The annual production of pigment-grade TiO2 has increased in the past 50 years from 2 × 106 tons to 6 × 106 tons, as TiO2 replaced the earlier used, more toxic, lead carbonate white pigment. Consumers and patients are routinely exposed to TiO2 crystals, inhaling and ingesting these.

Finally, a possibly related topic. However, on the huge testosterone level decreases in males and early female maturation, from what I've read I'd predominantly blame Bisphenol A and hormones used on livestock:

Titanium Dioxide in Food
12 April 2016

https://scienceandfooducla.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/titanium-dioxide-in-food/

Titanium dioxide particles have been shown to cross the blood-testis barrier in mammals, leading to reproductive toxicity in males, including a decrease in sperm motility percentage, sperm cell concentration, sperm viability and serum testosterone level, as well as a significant increase in sperm abnormalities.

You're Not The Man Your Father Was
2 Oct 2016

https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2017/10/02/youre-not-the-man-your-father-was/#5d34446d8b7f

Studies show that men’s testosterone levels have been declining for decades. The most prominent, a 2007 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, revealed a “substantial” drop in U.S. men’s testosterone levels since the 1980s, with average levels declining by about 1% per year. This means, for example, that a 60-year-old man in 2004 had testosterone levels 17% lower than those of a 60-year-old in 1987. Another study of Danish men produced similar findings, with double-digit declines among men born in the 1960s compared to those born in the 1920s.

The challenges to men’s health don’t end there. Rates of certain reproductive disorders (like testicular cancer) have risen over time, while multiple European studies have found that sperm counts are sinking. These trends coincide with a decline in musculoskeletal strength among young men: In a 2016 study, the average 20- to 34-year-old man could apply 98 pounds of force with a right-handed grip, down from 117 pounds by a man of the same age in 1985. Though grip strength isn’t necessarily a proxy for overall fitness, it’s a strong predictor of future mortality.

What’s behind all the downward trends? The answer is complicated. The decline in testosterone levels is almost certainly linked to higher rates of obesity (which suppresses testosterone) and may be linked to lower rates of smoking in men (since nicotine is a potent aromatase inhibitor). In the 2007 study, however, the age-matched declines persisted after controlling for these variables. Many observers put more weight on increased exposure to environmental toxins, such as pesticides, parabens, and chemicals common in household products like phthalates and bisphenol A.

Also playing a role are long-term shifts in the ways we work and live. Young men are far less likely to hold jobs in manual labor, so they don’t have to be as physically strong as previous generations. Meanwhile, certain forms of close relationships—such as marriage, fatherhood, and increased time spent with children—are causally linked to lower testosterone levels. Yet here again the evidence is muddled: On the one hand, Gen-X and Millennial men are marrying later and having fewer kids. On the other hand, young men today are more likely to live with other people—which may promote prosocial hormones like oxytocin that are natural antagonists to testosterone. And those who are fathers are spending more time with their children.

One reason why it’s so hard to pinpoint what’s driving the declines is the sheer number of factors that could be in play. To account for low testosterone, researchers have cited other lifestyle trends as wide-ranging as increased temperatures in homes and offices, lack of exercise, and even tight underwear. It’s also difficult to establish the direction of causality. Has testosterone declined in response to a changed world, or has the world changed to accommodate less virile men? Or is it both? Take declines in strength, for example: While we know supplementing with extra testosterone by itself increases muscle mass, we also know that strenuous exercise by itself promotes natural testosterone production.

Gender-bending chemicals found in plastic and linked to breast and prostate cancer are found in 86% of teenagers' bodies
Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in plastic containers, water bottles, and in till receipts
The chemical, used since the 1960s, mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5351661/Chemicals-plastic-90-teenage-bodies.html

Almost 90 per cent of teenagers have gender-bending chemicals from plastic in their bodies, according to a study.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in plastic containers and water bottles, on the inside of food cans and in till receipts. The chemical, used since the 1960s to make certain types of plastic, mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen, and has been linked to low sperm counts and infertility in men, as well as breast and prostate cancer.

A study by the University of Exeter, whose researchers tested urine samples from 94 teenagers, found 86 per cent had traces of BPA in their body.

The study’s co-author Professor Lorna Harries, from the university’s medical school, said: ‘Most people are exposed to BPA on a daily basis. In this study, our student researchers have discovered that at the present time, given current labelling laws, it is difficult to avoid exposure by altering our diet. In an ideal world, we would have a choice over what we put into our bodies. At the present time, since it is difficult to identify which foods and packaging contain BPA, it is not possible to make that choice.’
The European Chemicals Agency last year reclassified BPA as a substance of ‘very high concern’ because of its ‘probable serious effects’ on human health.

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A recent test of the young "Try Guys" at Buzzfeed:

The normal T-score for an adult male ranges from 270-1,070 ng/dL, with men aged from 25-34 averaging out at 617 ng/dL. Not one BuzzFeed male met the 617 ng/dL average; rather, all the men tested below the level of a typical 85-year-old male (376 ng/dL). Moreover, three of the four men tested below the average range, and the male with the highest testosterone level, Eugene, still had a relatively low T-score with 363 ng/dL.

BPA exposure appears to be a huge risk for metabolic syndrome. Multiple quality study confirm it.

"In fact, obesity is believed to account for 80-85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while recent research suggests that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with a BMI of less than 22."

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-obesity.html

Seems like many folks are looking for a cause... when it seems very apparent that the cause is self control.

lakeroadster said:

"In fact, obesity is believed to account for 80-85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while recent research suggests that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with a BMI of less than 22."

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-obesity.html

Seems like many folks are looking for a cause... when it seems very apparent that the cause is self control.

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It is far more complex than just pure self control.

cwbullet said:

It is far more complex than just pure self control.

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Opinions Vary..... Life can be as complex as one chooses to make it.

No opinion. Medical science has shown there are Behavioral health inputs and sugar can be addictive. That is clearly more than self control.

cwbullet said:

No opinion. Medical science has shown there are Behavioral health inputs and sugar can be addictive. That is clearly more than self control.

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It is all opinion, based on research, much of which later is proven to be flawed. Many of "Medical Science" certainties have become folly.

Blood letting, shock treatment, lobotomies....

snrkl said:

So does that mean I should NOT use Rustoleum 2x gloss white as sun screen? I’m confused...

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That brings to mind a bit of a tangent ... In I think 1980s, maybe 1990s, a modeler of Chicago's trolley, interurban, and elevated systems, a fellow named Eric Bronsky (or similar) was an apartment dweller using the bathroom as a ventilated spray painting area.
Reported in published article that one morning instead of the Right Guard he grabbed the Testors Red ...

cwbullet said:

No opinion. Medical science has shown there are Behavioral health inputs and sugar can be addictive. That is clearly more than self control.

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But if you don’t eat, you don’t get fat. It’s just hard to not eat.

Type 1 diabetes is a disease of the beta cells in the pancreas. But type 2 diabetes is not a disease of the pancreas until very late in the disease. It is from insulin resistance, so I have a hard time understanding how Ti particles in the pancreas would cause type 2 diabetes.

DEmery said:

But if you don’t eat, you don’t get fat. It’s just hard to not eat.

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Especially if the food is addictive. Sugar has been shown to be harder to quit than opiates and it lights up the same parts of the brain on a pet scan.