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American Morning

Redheads More Sensitive to Pain

Aired October 16, 2002 - 08:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Men have a biological clock just like women, and redheads are more sensitive to pain than most people. That's just a sample of the medical news out there this week, and our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is on top of it all. She joins us from Atlanta this morning with the very latest.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Paula, we have a medical trifecta here for you today. Our first story is about redheads in the operating room. Anesthesiologists have long noticed that it took more juice to put the redheads under, took a little more time, and now it turns out that actually that seems to be true. A study shows that redheads need 20 percent more anesthesia than blonds and brunettes.

There seems to be a genetic difference between the redheads and the rest of us. Scientists say that this is first time that a physical attribute has been seen to make a difference in anesthesia. They think there are more out there, and they're going to look for them -- Paula.

ZAHN: And, Elizabeth, can you explain to me why they decided to examine that in the first place?

COHEN: They decided to examine it because they were sort of anesthesiologists were just talking to each other, saying, geesh, when I'm trying to put a redhead under, it just takes so much more anesthesia. Why is that? And it's important, because if you give someone too little anesthesia, they're in pain, if you give them too much, you can kill them. So anesthesiologists want to get it exactly right. Now they know, if they have a redhead, it's not just their imagination, they really do need to give more drugs.

ZAHN: And have the researchers found any other differences based on physical traits?

COHEN: You know what, for anesthesia, they haven't, but it's interesting, for other drugs, they have. For example, there are racial differences that people of African origin versus people who are white, that they need -- that they metabolize drugs differently and they may need a little more or a little less of the drug. So there are serious genetic differences in drug metabolism; it's a brand new area, Paula, and they're going to be looking into it more, because it's very important.

ZAHN: Let's go on to the ticking biological clock here. Of course, all of us had panicked, who found ourselves approaching midlife and wanting more babies, and now we hear that men have to be worried, too.

COHEN: Right, usually, you just think woman have to panic, but in fact, this is one of many studies that now shows that men could be concerned as well. This study found that men over age 35 had a higher likelihood of having genetic problems with their sperm and also of having a lower sperm motility. Now it's interesting, it was gradual. Obviously, there are many men who father children in their late years.

For example, if we take a look, Strom Thurmond had the first of his four children at age 69. Tony Randall had two children in his late 70s. And Anthony Quinn, the actor, had his last child in his 80s. So, of course, obviously, men can father children late in life. It just becomes less likely after about age 35.

ZAHN: So there is a myth then that these guys it simply doesn't matter?

COHEN: Exactly. Men say, it doesn't matter when I get married, it doesn't matter when I try to father children, I can do it forever. Maybe they can and be one of the lucky ones like we just saw there. Maybe they can't. For women, there is real a drop-dead date. The hormones plummet at menopause, women stop ovulating. An 80-year-old woman cannot have a child unless she has got some serious medical health. An 80-year-old man can father a child; it's just a matter of, what are the chances that he will be able to.

ZAHN: So how did the myth get started in the first place that it didn't matter what age men were when they sired their children for the first time?

COHEN: Well, I think it's because people looked at people like these three men, Tony Randall, Anthony Quinn, Strom Thurmond, and so you say, well, gosh, if they did it, of course, I can do it, too. And people didn't realize that it's really like a roll of the dice. Well, maybe you will be one of those men, but maybe you won't.

ZAHN: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks for the trifecta this morning. Appreciate ti. We learned a lot.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired October 16, 2002 - 08:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Men have a biological clock just like women, and redheads are more sensitive to pain than most people. That's just a sample of the medical news out there this week, and our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is on top of it all. She joins us from Atlanta this morning with the very latest.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Paula, we have a medical trifecta here for you today. Our first story is about redheads in the operating room. Anesthesiologists have long noticed that it took more juice to put the redheads under, took a little more time, and now it turns out that actually that seems to be true. A study shows that redheads need 20 percent more anesthesia than blonds and brunettes.

There seems to be a genetic difference between the redheads and the rest of us. Scientists say that this is first time that a physical attribute has been seen to make a difference in anesthesia. They think there are more out there, and they're going to look for them -- Paula.

ZAHN: And, Elizabeth, can you explain to me why they decided to examine that in the first place?

COHEN: They decided to examine it because they were sort of anesthesiologists were just talking to each other, saying, geesh, when I'm trying to put a redhead under, it just takes so much more anesthesia. Why is that? And it's important, because if you give someone too little anesthesia, they're in pain, if you give them too much, you can kill them. So anesthesiologists want to get it exactly right. Now they know, if they have a redhead, it's not just their imagination, they really do need to give more drugs.

ZAHN: And have the researchers found any other differences based on physical traits?

COHEN: You know what, for anesthesia, they haven't, but it's interesting, for other drugs, they have. For example, there are racial differences that people of African origin versus people who are white, that they need -- that they metabolize drugs differently and they may need a little more or a little less of the drug. So there are serious genetic differences in drug metabolism; it's a brand new area, Paula, and they're going to be looking into it more, because it's very important.

ZAHN: Let's go on to the ticking biological clock here. Of course, all of us had panicked, who found ourselves approaching midlife and wanting more babies, and now we hear that men have to be worried, too.

COHEN: Right, usually, you just think woman have to panic, but in fact, this is one of many studies that now shows that men could be concerned as well. This study found that men over age 35 had a higher likelihood of having genetic problems with their sperm and also of having a lower sperm motility. Now it's interesting, it was gradual. Obviously, there are many men who father children in their late years.

For example, if we take a look, Strom Thurmond had the first of his four children at age 69. Tony Randall had two children in his late 70s. And Anthony Quinn, the actor, had his last child in his 80s. So, of course, obviously, men can father children late in life. It just becomes less likely after about age 35.

ZAHN: So there is a myth then that these guys it simply doesn't matter?

COHEN: Exactly. Men say, it doesn't matter when I get married, it doesn't matter when I try to father children, I can do it forever. Maybe they can and be one of the lucky ones like we just saw there. Maybe they can't. For women, there is real a drop-dead date. The hormones plummet at menopause, women stop ovulating. An 80-year-old woman cannot have a child unless she has got some serious medical health. An 80-year-old man can father a child; it's just a matter of, what are the chances that he will be able to.

ZAHN: So how did the myth get started in the first place that it didn't matter what age men were when they sired their children for the first time?

COHEN: Well, I think it's because people looked at people like these three men, Tony Randall, Anthony Quinn, Strom Thurmond, and so you say, well, gosh, if they did it, of course, I can do it, too. And people didn't realize that it's really like a roll of the dice. Well, maybe you will be one of those men, but maybe you won't.

ZAHN: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks for the trifecta this morning. Appreciate ti. We learned a lot.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com