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We may earn a commission from links on this page.If youre serious about lifting barbells, sooner or later youre probably going to want a belt. Belts dont prevent injury as people sometimes assume, but they do help you to lift more weight. This helps you to squat and deadlift heavierthus get strongerso theyre standard equipment for a lot of strong people. We have a guide here to understanding what belts are for, how they work, and who needs them. But once you get the basic idea, youll probably still have questions. So lets dig in. By the way, if you want the short answer as to which belt I, your resident expert, wear: I have two that I love. My trusty leather belt is a Pioneer cut with offset holes, 3 inches wide, 10 millimeters thick, in maroon suede. I've had it for five or six years now and it's still going strong. My other belt is a velcro belt from 2Pood, 4 inches wide. I don't wear it much anymore because the velcro is starting to wear out, but I got it signed by Kate Vibert just after she won silver in the 2020 Olympics, so I'm never throwing it out. When should you buy a weightlifting belt?Every coach has their own opinion on when is the right time for a new trainee to buy a belt. Some might want to see you lift a certain weight first, or demonstrate a certain amount of skill at the big lifts. But the truth is, theres no agreed-upon dividing line between people who need a belt and people who dont. A belt is a tool that anybody can use, at any point in their lifting career. It doesnt make up for not knowing how to brace, so it makes sense to learn how to brace first. But a belt can help you learn how to brace, since you can feel your belly pushing against the belt when youre doing it right.In my opinion, if youre wondering whether you should get a belt, its probably time to get a belt. A lot of the good leather ones need to be ordered online, and some have a lead time of several weeks, so you might not actually get the belt until a month or two after you decide youre readyin other words, you may want to order your belt sooner rather than later.Which kind of weightlifting belt should you get?If you search for weightlifting belt online, youll get tons of results, many of them marketed to gym goers who want to look cool but who dont really understand what a belt is for. Let me cut through the marketing to say: There are only a few kinds of belts that strength sport athletes commonly wear. A velcro beltFirst, theres the 4-inch velcro belt. Im starting here because its a good all-purpose belt, cheaper than the leather ones were about to talk about, and its arguably easier to adjust and wear, too. I have one from 2Pood, which is a popular brand among Olympic weightlifters and Crossfitters. These belts are 4 inches wide, they close with a velcro strap, and they have a locking mechanism around the strap so that it wont pop open even if the velcro fails mid-lift. The velcro will wear out over time, although mine put up with more than three years of frequent use before I started to notice any problems.Velcro belts don't have to be limited to Olympic lifts, by the way. They work just fine for heavy squats and deadlifts, too. Velcro belts will generally run you between $30 and $70, depending on the brand and any special features, like custom colors. Weightlifters' favorite, and it comes in sequin options 2POOD 4-inch Weightlifting Belt $64.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $64.99 at Amazon Budget option ProFitness 4-inch Weightlifting Belt $26.45 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $26.45 at Amazon A solid, basic belt Gymreapers 4-inch Weightlifting Belt $34.97 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $34.97 at Amazon SEE 0 MORE A leather single-prong beltNext are leather belts that buckle like, well, a traditional belt. These look like a comically large version of a regular belt you'd wear to hold up your pants: they're either 3 or 4 inches wide, and made of a thick leather that is usually either 10 or 13 millimeters. The buckle is enormous to match. (When I got my first belt in the mail, I laughed. I couldnt imagine wearing it out in public. But now I just see it as a normal piece of gym equipment.) There are double-prong belts, which look cool, but they can be really annoying to operate. Remember, youll be taking it off and putting it on (or loosening and tightening it) between sets. The second prong doesnt make the belt any more secure, but it does make it fussier to fasten. In addition to my velcro belt, I have a single-prong leather belt as well, and mine is a Pioneer cut with offset holes. This way, instead of choosing between two holes that are an inch apart, I can adjust the belt in 1/2-inch increments. Adjustable with half-inch hole spacing LiftingLarge Leather Powerlifting Belt $149.80 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $149.80 at Amazon The classic Inzer Leather Buckle Belt $139.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $139.95 at Amazon A solid budget buy Steel Sweat Leather Weightlifting Belt $59.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $59.95 at Amazon SEE 0 MORE A leather lever beltInstead of a buckle, you may prefer a lever belt. Instead of placing a buckle prong through the hole of your choice when you put it on, you use a screwdriver to install the lever into the appropriate hole in the belt. Then you simply close the lever to lock it closed, and pop it open when youre ready to take the belt off. The pop can be satisfying after a big liftsee this clip of Jessica Buettner for an example. (I do not have a lever belt. I am slightly jealous of people who do.) These belts are available in the same common sizes as the good single-prong belts: 3 or 4 inches wide, 10 mm or 13 mm thick. Pioneer, the same company that makes my adjustable prong belt, also sells an adjustable lever that gives you a little bit of room to fasten the belt tighter or looser without having to take the lever off with a screwdriver. (Pioneer isnt paying me to shill for them, I just happen to like their adjustable designs.) For an example of a non-adjustable, Inzers Forever lever is a popular and durable design. Good quality leather belts, both prong and lever, cost more than velcro. $100 to $150 would be a typical price range, with the thicker belts usually being more expensive. (Again, custom colors and designs will run you a bit more.) Inzer Lever Weightlifting Belt $139.94 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $139.94 at Amazon Easy adjusting Pioneer Lever Weightlifting Belt $174.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $174.95 at Amazon The adjustable lever by itself (attach to your old lever belt) Pioneer Adjustable Lever (PAL) (Silver) $90.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $90.00 at Amazon SEE 0 MORE How to buy the right sizeYour waist measurement will tell you the length of belt you should order; refer to the sizing chart on the belt companys website to find the right size. If youre between sizes, consider whether youre likely to get bigger or smaller over time. For example, if you know youll be losing weight, you may want a belt that will still fit if you get a bit slimmer. On the other hand, its normal to gain muscle mass as you get stronger, and you may want to have the room to get bigger without having to buy a whole new belt. When it comes to the width, 4 inches is standard. (The maximum width allowable in competition is usually 4 inches for powerlifting and 12 centimeters, or 4.7 inches, in weightlifting.) The advice I got when I was a beginner is that almost everybody likes a 4-inch belt for squatting, but that some people prefer a 3-inch belt for deadlifts. I ended up getting mine in a 3-inch size, and it fits well for both lifts. Some people prefer a 4-inch belt for both lifts, but wear it higher on their waist for deadlifts. If youre not sure, see if you can borrow a belt to try on. The next thing to decide, if youre buying a leather belt, is whether to get your belt in a thickness of 10 millimeters or 13 millimeters. If in doubt, get the 10 mm. Thirteen is very thick, and many people find it makes the belt uncomfortably stiff, especially at the edges. If you are a large person and already very strong, you might need the 13 mm. But in that case, you will probably come to that conclusion through experience over time. If youre reading this, thats probably not you, and you want the 10 millimeter.My top picks for each type of belt: Velcro locking belt: 2Pood straight weightlifting beltLeather single-prong: Pioneer Cut 10 mmLeather lever: Inzer Forever lever 10 mmWhich kind of weightlifting belts to avoidSo are there belts you shouldnt buy? Arguably, yes: Double prong belts are fussier to open and close, and they aren't any stronger than single prong. If you want a buckle, most people will be happier with the single prong kind.Velcro belts without a lock can pop open mid-lift. Look for one that has a locking mechanism that holds the strap in place, like those from 2Pood or Gymreapers.Tapered belts, with a wide back and a narrow front, used to be popular among Olympic weightlifters. They arent used as much anymore, though; velcro belts have largely replaced them. Most tapered belts youll see online are lower quality ones aimed at people just trying to look cool in the gym. Fine as a fashion choice, but they wouldnt be my first pick. That said, if you already have one, might as well use it. It will be fine. Really cheap weightlifting belts (like the $20 ones you might find on Amazon) wont last as long and might not perform as well, but they honestly arent terrible. If you arent sure whether you need a belt at all, I wouldnt blame you for buying the cheap thing first and upgrading later.With that information, you should be well equipped to buy a belt that meets your needs. A locking velcro belt or a 10 millimeter straight leather belt, depending on your preference, will be best for most people. Now, whether you want a plain black belt or a custom sequin design, thats something youll have to figure out for yourself.

There are benefits to training in heart rate zone 2, and youve probably heard all about them. But what happens when your heart rate spikes into zone 3, whether when you're on a run or doing cardio at the gym? Surpriseyou dont lose the benefits of zone 2 training. Zone 3 is arguably just as good for you, or maybe even better.Remember, the reason people are excited about zone 2 training is that it helps you build your aerobic base and burn calories without incurring much fatigue. Guess what zone 3 training also does? Yep, it helps you build your aerobic base, burn even more calories, and usually only incur a tiny bit more fatigue than zone 2. So why arent we all doing more zone 3 cardio?Zone 2 is overratedThere are reasons to run (or do any cardio) at lower intensities, and reasons to use higher intensities. Before heart rate monitors were widespread, you had to judge what was easy by yourself, or by comparing your speed of running to what you knew you could do in a race. Non-athletes had the talk test": If you could hold a conversation while jogging, you knew you were at an easy, steady pace.But when everybody has a watch that tells them their heart rate, suddenly were looking at specific numbers, and our watches color code the numbers so you know when youre in zone 2 versus zone 3. Your heart ticks up a beat? Youre out of your zone. Straight to workout jail!But the reality is, your body isnt getting a drastically different workout at 153 beats per minute than it was at 152. There probably isnt even much difference between, say, 145 and 155, as long as theyre both within that conversational-ish effort level. Workout zones arent realThe most popular heart rate zone systems are made up, with no precise relationship to what's going on in your body. Your body does have some dividing lines when it comes to exercise intensity (like the point at which you can't speak comfortably anymore, or the point at which lactate accumulates faster than you can clear it), but these don't correspond exactly to the typical five-zone system. The five-zone system, as a refresher, is based on where your heart rate falls as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. There will be specific percentages defined as the boundaries of each zone, and the five zones are usually described something like this: zone 1: rest or minimal effortzone 2: easy breezy conversational pacezone 3: ???zone 4: pretty hardzone 5: maximal effortIt's a cute idea, and many people find this system helpful, but these zones are not based on any scientific findings that prove we get such-and-such benefits at 60-70% of max heart rate, and such-and-such different benefits at 71-80%. If you arent convinced, just look at how different gadgets and apps define the zones differently: Your zone 2 might be 60-70% on Apple Watch, but 65%-75% on a Peloton. Research on the benefits of exercise doesnt use heart rate zones, or at least not of this type. They may measure intensity in a few different ways, including whether you are above or below your ventilatory threshold (basically, whether or not you can talk while exercising) or your lactate threshold (measured through blood chemistry, but basically the highest effort you can sustain for a long time). Sometimes theyll measure METs, which relate to how much energy you use to do work, or they'll put everything in terms of oxygen consumption (this is where the term VO2max comes from). Occasionally these studies will send participants home with heart rate-based guidelines, but those tend to be drawn from their personal scientific measurements, rather than the cookie-cutter zones you get from an app or from watching a video on youtube. Conversational pace includes zone 2 and most of zone 3So lets take a closer look at that idea of the talk test or conversational pace. The guideline to keep your easy cardio at a chatty pace does come from a scientific concept: the ventilatory threshold.Imagine you start out at a walk, and every minute or so you increase your speed a bit. As you work harder, youll hit a point where your breath becomes a little ragged, and your sentences choppy. If you were conversing with a friend, you'd be grunting out a few words at a time, rather than casually telling a story. That point is your ventilatory threshold, or VT (sometimes called VT1).When athletes or coaches talk about easy pace or easy efforts, they usually want you below your VT. The way people talk about zone 2, youd think that the VT occurs at the top of zone 2. But nopeconversational pace is closer to 80%, which is the top of zone 3. For example, heres a study on recreational runners that found VT1 to be, on average, at 78% of the runners max heart rate. And they tested the runners max heart rate, rather than using a formula based on age. (Never trust the default formulas.)So if youre trying to train at an easy pace, or if youre using the 80/20 rule to keep 80% of your runs easy, you can do those easy runs or cardio sessions in zones 2 and 3, not just zone 3.Zone 3 is still aerobic and still easyNow that I've explained why the zone 2/zone 3 distinction is arbitrary, you see why it makes more sense to look at zones 2 and 3 (or even zones 1 through 3) as a continuum. At the lower end, youll be running or pedaling slower, burning fewer calories, and feeling like youre barely doing any work. (Hello, cozy cardio!)At the higher end (or the top of zone 3), youre still getting a lot of aerobic work done, still benefiting your mitochondria and your capillaries and everything else, but youre doing it in less time. If youre interested in calorie burn per hour, zone 3 is more efficient.Cyclists sometimes call training in this range the sweet spot. It gives you some of the advantages of harder training without making you too fatigued. For runners, zone 3 may include some of your tempo runs, some of your race-pace runs, and some of your faster easy runs.So whats the point of zone 2, if you can get all of its benefits in zone 3? That depends on your big picture: If youre doing a lot of training, youll probably want some of it to be in zone 2, if only to save some energy while youre getting more miles on your feet. But if you only run, say, three times a week, its unlikely that those couple of runs will wear you down much even if you do them all in zone 3.You shouldnt read too much into your heart rate anywayThis brings me back to my grudge against heart rate monitors. (Its a grudge borne of love; I track my own heart rate when I run and find it useful in many ways.)Your heart rate doesnt only track with your training effort; it also responds to a lot of other factors. For example, it responds to summer heat, showing you higher numbers in hot weather. It can also show higher numbers if youre more fatigued, or at the end of a run compared to the beginning, and it may show higher numbers if youre a bit dehydrated. When you run a race, you may find that your heart rate is higher than expected at the start, just because youre a bit nervous.Some medications can alter your heart rate as wellbeta-blockers, for example, notoriously lower your heart rate. And then theres the question of whether your fitness tracker's zones are set correctly (even knowing that, yes, their boundaries are made up). If youve never run an all-out race or series of hill sprints, your watch may have never seen your maximum heart rate. So if it says that your max must be 184 because you are 36 years old, its just grabbing numbers from a formula. That makes as much sense as buying shoes based on the average shoe size for a 56 woman, rather than actually measuring your feet (or trying on the shoes). If you go out for an easy run and find that your heart rate was in zone 5 the whole time, I guarantee you that isnt your zone 5.So if your heart rate creeps into zone 3 on a zone 2 training run, that may or may not be accurate. But even if it is, if you can still breathe and speak more-or-less normally, youre getting plenty of benefits from your zone 3 cardio.

Smart home controls mean you never have to manually flip a light switch again or get up to adjust the thermometer. In your home, where you know the routines and voice comments and, most importantly, have access to the home hub, theyre ideal. But for house-sitters or visiting family and friends who simply want the lights to come on or go off, theyre problematic. Previously, your choices were to grant full access in Google Home to anyone else you wanted to be able to control your smart home, or let them take their chances getting your voice assistant to respond. The problem is that once they had access, they could also do some damage, accidentally deleting smart devices or messing up settings. Last week, Google made the first moves to resolving this issue by testing user levels for Google Home. At this time, it is only available for some users enrolled in Google Public Preview, Googles beta testing program.For now, there are only two user levels: Admin and Member. User levels are popular in software and services, so they likely arent a new concept to most. Each user level carries a hierarchy of permissions. In this case, Admins continue to have all the permissions that anyone with access previously did. They can add and remove devices, move them from room to room, rename them, etc. Admin is another way of saying full access. While I was unable to find any difference in permissions between Admin and Owner, Id be surprised if there werent some.Usually there are some controls only Owners, being the person who installed the device or software, can affect. Members have limited access. They can mostly operate the devices. While they cant add a new robot vacuum, for example, they can run it. More interestingly, they can also change personal settings like face and voice recognition. You can offer your members two additional kinds of access. Activity grants them the ability to see the history of activity on a device and Settings allows them some rudimentary access to change settings of a device and add automations. screenshot of permissions, courtesy of Google Credit: Google I have a smart home and routinely have dog- or house-sitters, and this solves a huge problem. As practice of basic security, I like that I can grantand then revokeaccess for members, giving them only as much access as they need, for only as long as they need it. I immediately granted my nextdoor neighbor access, since we often go into one anothers homes to water plants, put a package inside or feed a pet.Remember, you must be enrolled in Public Preview. Once you are, you can add a new admin or member by going into Google Home and then opening settings. Tap on the new Household and access menu, and tap the + in the upper right corner and add the email address of the person youd like to invite. Theyll receive the invite via email, and will need to install the Google Home app, but they wont need to be part of Public Preview themselves.

The Russian government has banned crypto mining in ten regions for a period of six years, according to reporting by the state-owned news agency Tass. Russia has cited the industrys high power consumption rates as the primary reason behind the ban. Crypto is particularly power-hungry, as mining operations already account for nearly 2.5 percent of US energy use.This ban takes effect on January 1 and lasts until March 15, 2031. The countrys Council of Ministers has also stated that additional bans may be required in other regions during periods of peak energy demand. It could also go the other way. The ban could be temporarily lifted or altered in certain regions if a government commission examines changes in energy demand and deems it necessary.Cryptocurrency mining has only been fully legal in Russia since November 1, as the country has had a rocky relationship with the practice. Miners must register with the Ministry of Digital Development and energy consumption limits are continually monitored.The country banned the use of cryptocurrencies as legal tender back in 2022, but does allow cross-border payments. The latter is largely seen as an attempt by Russia to avoid sanctions in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.Russia isnt the only country to put the kibosh on crypto mining due to the industrys obscene energy demands. Kosovo outlawed the practice back in 2022 to conserve electricity during an energy crisis. Angola did the same in April of 2024. That countrys law goes a step further and criminalizes crypto mining. Several European countries, like Iceland and Norway, have started to strictly regulate the industry due to energy shortages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/russia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns-163102174.html?src=rss

Marriott has been ordered to implement stricter security after three major data breaches.

Netflix releases teaser of new Robert De Niro-starring thriller series Zero Day.

Taking into a deeper view of a frozen dystopian world by expert craftsmanship at Image Engine VFX, Snowpiercer Season 4 dives viewers into the desolate and ice-covered landscapes showing how harsh a world which was devastated by eternal winter has become. Every single frame captures the fragility and resilience of humanity.One of the most remarkable feats is in the minute detailing of the Snowpiercer train itself. From the mechanical complexity of its engine to the nuanced interiors of each compartment, the VFX team ensured every element felt tangible and true to its post-apocalyptic setting.Through a combination of advanced simulations, detailed digital environments, and seamless compositing, Image Engine VFX successfully transported audiences to a world where survival is a constant struggle. Their dedication to storytelling through visuals continues to elevate the immersive experience of Snowpiercer.The post Snowpiercer Season 4 vfx breakdown by ImageEngineVFX appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal with the industry being squeezed by discount chains and other competition.Public companies are under a lot more scrutiny and if private, the Nordstrom may have more leeway in reviving a department store chain that has been attempting to reinvigorate sales for years.Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, or about $4 billion in all, representing a 42% premium on the companys stock as of March 18, when reports of a potential transaction was reported by the media.The acquiring group will also pick up more than $2 billion in Nordstrom debt.The traditional department stores have suffered in the face of withering competition from giants like Walmart and Target, as well as a host of fast-fashion bands and Amazon.com. Nordstrom rivals Macys and Kohls have been pressured by major investors to make huge changes in order to return more profit to shareholders.Sales at Nordstrom have essentially flatlined over the past decade or so and it announced last year that it was closing all of its Canadian stores and cutting 2,500 jobs as it winds down operations in the country. Nordstrom first announced plans to expand to Canada in 2012 and opened its first store in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre in September 2014.The offer announced Monday tops the previous $23-per-share bid that the Nordstrom family and Mexican retail group, El Puerto de Liverpool, made in September.The board also plans to authorize a special dividend of up to 25 cents per share, based on Nordstroms cash on hand immediately prior to and contingent on the close of the transaction.The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, at which time the companys shares will no longer trade publicly.While a change in ownership does not automatically remedy all of the problems with the department store operation, it will allow the family and their backers to take a long-term view of the business and make necessary investments and changes away from the short-term scrutiny of public markets, wrote Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData, in a note to clients.Nordstroms board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, with members Erik and Pete Nordstrom, part of the Nordstrom family taking over the companyrecusing themselves from that vote.Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake in the company.Erik and Pete Nordstrom are the fourth-generation leadership at the Seattle retailer, which was founded in 1901 as a shoe store. Erik is the companys chief executive and Peter is president.After opening 23 new stores so far this year, the company now operates a combined 381 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in the U.S.Nordstrom shares fell about 1.5% Monday, but they are up 34% this year on rumors of a family takeover. The companys stock is still down considerably from post-pandemic highs above $40 per share.In May of this year, Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his familys Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, died at age 90. He was one of several Nordstrom family members who in 2017 made a push to take the company private, proposing to buy out the 70% of the department stores stock they didnt already own. Those talks failed in 2018 but earlier this year, his sons started another series of buyout negotiations, leading to Mondays announcement.Matt Ott, Associated Press business writer

Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesnt actually relieve nasal congestion.Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil, and other medications, but experts have long questioned its effectiveness. Last month the Food and Drug Administration formally proposed revoking its use in pills and liquid solutions, kicking off a process thats likely to force drugmakers to remove or reformulate products.Its a win for skeptical academics, including researchers at the University of Florida who petitioned the FDA to revisit the drugs use in 2007 and again in 2015. For consumers, it will likely mean switching to alternatives, including an older decongestant that was moved behind the pharmacy counter nearly 20 years ago.Doctors say Americans will be better off without phenylephrine, which is often combined with other medicines to treat cold, flu, fever, and allergies.People walk into the drugstore today and see 55,000 medicines on the shelf and they pick one that is definitely not going to work, said Dr. Brian Schroer of the Cleveland Clinic. You take away that option and it will be easier for them to self-direct toward products that really will help them.Why is FDA doing this now?The FDA decision was expected after federal advisers last year voted unanimously that oral phenylephrine medications havent been shown to relieve congestion.Experts reviewed several recent, large studies indicating that phenylephrine was no better than a placebo at clearing nasal passageways. They also revisited studies from the 1960s and 1970s that supported the drugs initial use, finding numerous flaws and questionable data.The panels opinion only applied to phenylephrine in oral medications, which account for roughly $1.8 billion in annual U.S. sales. The drug is still considered effective in nasal sprays, though those are much less popular.Phenylephrine wasnt always the top choice for cold and allergy products. Many were originally formulated with a different drug, pseudoephedrine.But a 2006 law required pharmacies to move pseudoephedrine products behind the counter, citing their potential to be processed into methamphetamine. Companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Bayer decided to reformulate their products to keep them readily available on store shelvesand labeled many of them as PE versions of familiar brand names.What are some alternatives for congestion?Consumers who still want to take pills or syrups for relief will probably need to head to the pharmacy counterwhere the pseudoephedrine-containing versions of Sudafed, Claritin D and other products remain available without a prescription. Purchasers need to provide a photo ID.Beyond those products, most of the other options are over-the-counter nasal sprays or solutions.Saline drops and rinses are a quick way to clear mucus from the nose. For long-term relief from seasonal stuffiness, itching and sneezing, many doctors recommend nasal steroids, sold as Flonase, Nasacort and Rhinocort.These medicines are by far the most effective daily treatment for nasal congestion and stuffiness, Schroer said. The biggest issue is theyre not great when used on an as-needed basis.Nasal steroids generally have to be used daily to be highly effective. For short-term relief, patients can try antihistamine sprays, such as Astepro, which are faster acting.Phenylephrine-based sprays will also remain on pharmacy shelves.Why doesnt phenylephrine work when taken by mouth?The experts who challenged the drugs effectiveness say its quickly broken down and rendered ineffective when it hits the stomach.This is a good drug, but not when its swallowed, said Leslie Hendeles, professor emeritus at the University of Floridas College of Pharmacy, where he co-authored several papers on the ingredient. Its inactivated in the gut and doesnt get into the bloodstream, so it cant get to the nose.When Hendeles and his colleagues first petitioned the FDA on phenylephrine, they suggested a higher dose might be effective. But subsequent studies showed that even doses 400% higher than those currently recommended dont treat stuffiness.The FDA and other researchers concluded that pushing the dosage even higher might carry safety risks.If youre using very high doses, the risk is raising blood pressure so high that it could be hazardous to patients, said Randy Hatton, a University of Florida professor who co-led the research on phenylephrine.Because of its cardiovascular effects, the drug is sometimes used to treat dangerously low blood pressure during surgery, Hatton noted.What happens next?Oral phenylephrine medicines will still be with us for a while.Government regulators must follow a public, multistep process to remove the ingredient from FDAs list of drugs approved for over-the-counter decongestants.For six months, the FDA must take comments on its proposal, including from consumers and companies. Then, the FDA must review the feedback before writing a final order. Even after that decision is finalized, companies will likely have a year or more to remove or reformulate products.Drugmakers could further delay the process by requesting additional FDA hearings.For now, the Consumer Healthcare Products Associationwhich represents medicine makerswants the products to stay available, saying Americans deserve the option to choose the products they prefer for self-care.Hatton says he and his colleagues disagree: Our position is that choosing from something that doesnt work isnt really a choice.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.Matthew Perrone, Associated Press health writer