DEAR DR. ROACH: I am taking terazosin and finasteride for my enlarged prostate. A friend has suggested taking zinc supplements and eating pumpkin seeds for additional zinc intake. Is there any proof that taking additional zinc will reduce the size of the prostate? — K.O. ANSWER: There are some theoretical reasons, based on animal studies […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: One has to wonder which is worse for longevity: living a life without sleep, the ticking time bomb of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or prescription sleep meds? I am a 71-year old woman who began having insomnia and sleep issues when I went through menopause in my mid-40s. Sleep has been a […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please give me some information regarding irritable bowel syndrome? I am taking carbidopa/levodopa for restless leg syndrome. I also take Unisom to help sleep onset. Do the meds I’m taking have any relationship to the IBS? I went through a stressful time lately and wonder if it could be related […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently got a blood transfusion, and I’ve never had the COVID vaccine. Am I going to get those blood clots that vaccinated people got? — Anon. ANSWER: There is no evidence of risk to people receiving blood from a donor who received any COVID vaccine. Both the Astra-Zeneca vaccine and the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have read that there is a correlation between the use of statins and suicide in men over 60, especially if they have suffered chronic depression. Can you tell me if this has been studied more? — K.M. ANSWER: This concern has been studied extensively. An older class of cholesterol medication, the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife, who’s 66, walks two miles every morning at a moderate pace. I’m 75 and ride an exercise bike at a moderate speed for 10 minutes per day. Which is more beneficial for overall health? — A. ANSWER: I’m going to say your wife’s regimen is the more beneficial. The primary […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 84-year-old Asian American taking trazodone, sertraline and temazepam as needed, as well as daily vitamins, and I weigh 130 pounds. My blood pressure ranges from 98 to 111 over 60. Four years ago, I had kidney cancer resulting in the removal of my right kidney. Two years ago, I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 64-year-old female and weigh 130 pounds. I’m 5 feet, 8 inches tall. For years, off and on, my primary doctor would tell me that my sodium level was low. Recently, my doctor said that if my sodium level is low again, I need to see a kidney specialist. I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Over 40 years ago, about six months after having our first child, I developed scalp psoriasis so badly that just a touch of my hair would send “flakes” flying in the air! It was itchy, it often bled, and it was highly embarrassing! I kept my hair short because the sun in […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had a BMI over 40 for the last 20 years, and I have not been able to lose weight or keep the weight off. My doctor prescribed Ozempic, which is helping, but as soon as I stop, in a few weeks, all the weight creeps back on. I was always […]