health-letter
Multivitamins may reduce the risk of cancer in men by 8%. The benefits of multivitamin supplements may mirror those found in vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, which also have been associated with lower cancer rates in previous studies.
Two new Alzheimer’s treatments offer hope. One is the drug PBT2, which prevents brain metals from driving production of plaques and tangles. The other is Neuro AD, a therapy combining electromagnetic brain stimulation with cognitive training.
Actinic keratoses look minor, but they can progress to skin cancer. Treatment involves freezing, scraping, chemical peels, medicated creams, or photodynamic therapy. Treatment is almost always successful.
Fiber can help reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. To fit more fiber into the daily diet, experts advise eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and eliminating prepackaged and processed food.
High-tech imaging tests that use computed tomography (CT) scans to determine heart health may play a valuable role in patients who are at intermediate risk. If the imaging test results are abnormal, that can push a person into a high-risk group.
Prostate cancer screening should not be offered routinely to all men. For some men, the resulting treatment-which can produce side effects-is worse than the disease.
The commonly used bone-strengthening drugs called bisphosphonates may provide the same level of benefit for men as they do for women. It appears the drug zoledronic acid (Reclast) significantly reduced spinal fractures in men with osteoporosis.
Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can bring weeks of pain relief without the risks of oral NSAIDs. Topicals are best for people who have occasional joint pain, when other methods of treatment have failed.
A cup of beans or lentils each day, when combined with a low-glycemic diet, may help lower blood sugar levels and coronary artery disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. Legumes help dampen blood sugar responses and lower blood pressure.
People with a 70% blockage in the carotid artery and symptoms such as a mini-stroke may want to have surgery to unblock the artery sooner rather than later. Other options include angioplasty with stent placement and blood-thinning medicines.