Saturday, November 27, 2004
Q. I'm a 49-year-old male in excellent health. I'm not overweight and run 35 miles a week. I've noticed a slight decline in my sex drive (mostly just my desire for sex).
I wonder if phytoestrogens in soy milk could be a factor, since I consume about 2 gallons a week in smoothies, on cereal and so forth. I do not drink regular milk. Could this quantity of soy milk affect my sex drive?
A. Soy-based products are rich in estrogenic plant compounds called isoflavones. One popular brand of soy milk contains 20 to 35 milligrams of isoflavones per cup. Two gallons a week would mean that you could be consuming more than 1,000 mg of phytoestrogens.
We could find no specific research linking plant-estrogen consumption to lower libido in men. One study showed that a tofu-based diet did affect testosterone levels. When men are given estrogen compounds, sex drive often suffers. You might want to experiment to see if cutting back on soy milk restores your libido.
Q. I take Tenormin and hydrochlorothiazide to control blood pressure. It has taken me from 160/90 to 120/85. I eat carefully, exercise regularly and feel great. But my cholesterol has climbed from 212 to over 250.
My doctor wants to put me on Zocor, but I think my blood pressure medicine might be contributing to the cholesterol problem. Is that possible? How else can I get my cholesterol down?
A. Some blood pressure medications may have a negative effect on cholesterol levels. They include diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide and beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin) and metoprolol (Toprol-XL).
Since your medicine is controlling your blood pressure so well, do not stop taking it. Stopping beta blockers suddenly can be dangerous.
Ask your doctor whether other blood pressure medicine could control hypertension without affecting your cholesterol. We are sending you our Guides to Heart Health and Blood Pressure Treatment listing drugs that don't raise cholesterol plus other ways to lower lipids.
Q. I have seen some ads on Rogaine for Women. Does this treatment really help?
Once you start using Rogaine, do you have to keep it up? What happens if you stop?
A. Although Rogaine (minoxidil) was originally developed for male pattern baldness, it can be quite effective for women with thinning hair. Once you stop applying the solution to your scalp, however, the effects of the drug will wear off, and your hair will begin to thin once again.
& copy; 2004 King Features Syndicate Inc.