YOUR HEALTH

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My doctor tells me I have a large prostate gland. I am 63. He didn't tell me what to do for it, but he said to return when I have symptoms. What symptoms? Give me a hand, will you? -- D.M.

ANSWER: An enlarged prostate gland is every man's fate. By age 60, 50 percent have one; by age 85, more than 90 percent have one. The official name is benign prostatic hyperplasia (or hypertrophy). The "benign" indicates that this is not a cancerous condition.

If the gland causes no trouble, then no treatment is needed. Trouble comes in the form of frequent trips to the bathroom day and night. Night trips disrupt sleep. The large gland squeezes the urethra, which runs through it. The urethra is the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside. A compressed urethra doesn't completely empty the bladder, so the bladder fills up with urine quickly and a man gets the signal to relieve himself frequently. The urinary stream is often hard to initiate and may sputter, with stops and starts.

Treatment of an enlarged gland, when symptoms dictate, comes in the form of medicines and surgery. Medicines that relax muscles in the urinary bladder and in the prostate gland can make voiding easier. Uroxatral, Flomax and Hytrin are examples. Proscar and Avodart are two medicines that shrink the gland, although it can take months for the effect to take hold.

Surgical options include the time-honored TURP -- transurethral resection of the prostate -- where the gland is pared with instruments inserted into the penis. No skin is cut. There are many less-extensive procedures that are takeoffs on TURP, such as TUNA and TUIP. They are shorter methods to open the urethra and can often be done in an outpatient setting.

The booklet on prostate enlargement, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction discusses these problems and their treatments. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 1001, Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853- 6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6.75 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a female, age 75, in good health. Does coenzyme Q10 have any benefits? My doctor feels it is OK to take it once a day in a dose of 200 mg. -- E.H.

ANSWER: Coenzyme Q10 is a natural substance found in all body cells. It's involved in the production of energy for the cells, and it lends a hand to the immune system in its defense of the body. It also has antioxidant properties. Oxidants are destructive waste products generated in cells. They're sort of like things that cause metals to rust. Coenzyme Q10 can neutralize oxidants.

Q10 levels drop with age, so it's promoted for those advancing in years.

This material has been touted for a wide range of conditions, but it is not a cure-all, and it should not be viewed as one. It is possibly helpful for migraine headache control and for blood pressure. It might be slightly helpful for Parkinson's disease. Less evidence exists for its benefit in congestive heart failure, Alzheimer's disease and a weakened immune system.

How it fits into a person's health program isn't clear. In the dose suggested by your doctor, it won't hurt you. What makes you want to take it?

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com. 2006 North America Syndicate Inc.All Rights Reserved