<p>Researchers at Temple University in Michigan found that a device that uses a magnetic field to thin fuel, can have the same effect on human blood.<br /><br />They discovered that exposure to a magnetic field thins human blood, stopping it from damaging blood vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack, the Daily Mail reported.<br /><br />If this effect holds for blood in veins and arteries, scientists might someday develop a magnetic alternative to medicines designed to keep blood flowing in humans, said lead researcher Professor Rongjia Tao.<br /><br />Because red blood cells contain iron, Tao has been able to reduce a person's blood viscosity (resistance to flow) by 20-30 per cent by subjecting it to a magnetic field for about one minute. The field measured 1.3 Telsa which is about the same as an MRI machine.<br /><br />After testing numerous blood samples in a laboratory, Tao found that the magnetic field polarises the red blood cells causing them to link together in short chains, streamlining the movement of the blood.<br /><br />As these chains are larger than the single blood cells, they flow down the centre, reducing the friction against the walls of the blood vessels.<br /><br />The combined effects reduce the viscosity of the blood, helping it to flow more freely.<br />When the magnetic field was taken away, the blood's original viscosity state slowly returned over a period of several hours.<br /><br />"By selecting a suitable magnetic field strength and pulse duration, we will be able to control the size of the aggregated red-cell chains, hence to control the blood's viscosity," said Tao. <br /><br />Currently, the only method for thinning blood is through drugs such as aspirin; however, these drugs often produce unwanted side effects.<br /><br />Tao said that the magnetic field method is not only safer, but also repeatable.<br />The magnetic fields may be reapplied and the viscosity reduced again, he said, adding that the viscosity reduction does not affect the red blood cells' normal function.<br /><br />Tao, however, said that further studies are needed and that he hopes to ultimately develop this technology into an acceptable therapy to prevent heart disease.<br />The new findings are published in the journal Physical Review E.</p>
<p>Researchers at Temple University in Michigan found that a device that uses a magnetic field to thin fuel, can have the same effect on human blood.<br /><br />They discovered that exposure to a magnetic field thins human blood, stopping it from damaging blood vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack, the Daily Mail reported.<br /><br />If this effect holds for blood in veins and arteries, scientists might someday develop a magnetic alternative to medicines designed to keep blood flowing in humans, said lead researcher Professor Rongjia Tao.<br /><br />Because red blood cells contain iron, Tao has been able to reduce a person's blood viscosity (resistance to flow) by 20-30 per cent by subjecting it to a magnetic field for about one minute. The field measured 1.3 Telsa which is about the same as an MRI machine.<br /><br />After testing numerous blood samples in a laboratory, Tao found that the magnetic field polarises the red blood cells causing them to link together in short chains, streamlining the movement of the blood.<br /><br />As these chains are larger than the single blood cells, they flow down the centre, reducing the friction against the walls of the blood vessels.<br /><br />The combined effects reduce the viscosity of the blood, helping it to flow more freely.<br />When the magnetic field was taken away, the blood's original viscosity state slowly returned over a period of several hours.<br /><br />"By selecting a suitable magnetic field strength and pulse duration, we will be able to control the size of the aggregated red-cell chains, hence to control the blood's viscosity," said Tao. <br /><br />Currently, the only method for thinning blood is through drugs such as aspirin; however, these drugs often produce unwanted side effects.<br /><br />Tao said that the magnetic field method is not only safer, but also repeatable.<br />The magnetic fields may be reapplied and the viscosity reduced again, he said, adding that the viscosity reduction does not affect the red blood cells' normal function.<br /><br />Tao, however, said that further studies are needed and that he hopes to ultimately develop this technology into an acceptable therapy to prevent heart disease.<br />The new findings are published in the journal Physical Review E.</p>