QUESTION: Is prostate cancer, of which you speak so often, all that common, doctor? No male in our family has ever had it. Also, while we're at it, is it more common in black males than white? - P.L.
ANSWER: I mention it regularly for good reason. We always want to warn of any problem that can with minimum effort be detected and treated as successfully as can prostate cancer. Here are the facts.About 100,000 cases of prostate cancer were reported in the United States in 1989, making it one of the major cancers in males. But note that the figure refers to "reported" cases. Therein lies the problem.
At least half of all reported cases come to attention in the later stages, when spread has occurred beyond the gland proper. It is a preventive health tragedy since, as I noted, early recognition and diagnosis can lead to effective treatment in almost all cases.
It is estimated that one of 20 white males in the United States will encounter prostate cancer at some point in their lives. The figure for U.S. blacks is one out of 10. The difference is unexplained.
The important point to make is that any evidence of prostate enlargement should be reported. That includes change in urination patterns - sluggishness, frequency, interruption, etc. Most often, prostate enlargement is benign, but in too many unreported cases, as our studies show, malignancy is involved. After age 50, therefore, males, black or white, with or without symptoms, should have a prostate check. The booklet on prostate discusses it in greater detail. Order by writing Dr. Donohue/No.26, Box 19660, Irvine, CA 92713-0660, enclosing $2 and a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope.
QUESTION: What does amino acid do for you? I am on a diet. A friend told me to take amino acid before going to bed as a supplement to melt fat while you are sleeping. I would appreciate a comment on this. - E.O.
ANSWER: Huh? Melt fat? While sleeping? Come off it.
You hook amino acids together and you get a chain, a protein molecule. That is not going to melt fat - awake or sleeping.
Amino acid supplements are safe, but whether they do any more when eating them as protein molecules in food is another question. You get plenty of protein from food, and I can't imagine how adding protein in bits and pieces is going to do much nutritionally.
Certain amino acids do have uses of their own. One, tryptophan, was used by people with insomnia and, from reports, with some success. But that has been taken off the market and should not be used. It has been implicated in an illness marked by severe muscle pain and a rise in a certain kind of white blood cell, eosinophils.
QUESTION: What about popcorn as snack food for a person on a diet? - Mrs. P.M.
ANSWER: If you popped it fresh, plain and hot over a fire the way the Indians did years ago, it would be fine. But newer popcorn varieties, like those marketed for microwave popping, can get you into trouble. They are loaded with highly saturated fats, salts, flavorings and preservatives, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, whose newsletter recently discussed this subject.
Read the labels. They will tell you how much fat is in each serving. You can opt for some of the health-conscious brands you might find in health stores. The AICA advises use of air-popped popcorn without butter or salt. They suggest sprinkling a little chili powder or Parmesan cheese on it for flavor.
QUESTION: Could you reprint your article on niacin? You stated, I think, that there was a niacin that lowered cholesterol, and also one that did not lower cholesterol. The pharmacist I contacted says all niacin is the same. - M.P.
ANSWER: There must have been some misunderstanding between you and the pharmacist. There are two forms of niacin.
One niacin is known as nicotinic acid, the other nicotinamide (or niacinamide). Both are sometimes loosely referred to as niacin, but their medical difference must be observed in practice.
Nicotinamide is the one used as a vitamin supplement when that is needed. It is given in small doses, for example 18 mg for an adult male. Nicotinic acid is the one that is given to lower cholesterol, and it is given in much larger doses, as much as 6,000 mg.