Aging

Dear Doctor: A new study said that working out too much could ruin your sex life. I like to be in shape – but not at that high a price. What’s the deal? Exercise is unequivocally good for men's libido.  Compared [...]

Dear Doctors: I’m about to turn 60 and when I spend the afternoon playing with my 7- and 9-year-old grandsons, I’m wiped out. Is there anything that I can do to feel and be more energetic? I want to be an active grandmother and not just sit on the sidelines. [...]

Dear Doctor: Some studies suggest that long-term calorie restriction can shorten lifespan; others say it won’t. Which should we believe? This is a perplexing question.  We need energy to live, and the food we eat provides that energy.  Obviously, gluttony can [...]

Dear Doctors: I played a pretty rough game of tennis a few weeks ago and developed an ache in my right elbow that turns out to be bursitis. What can I do to ease the pain? Our [...]

Dear Doctors: I understand that Alzheimer’s disease causes memory loss and leads to dementia. But when someone has Alzheimer’s, what is the actual cause of death? Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain in which [...]

Dear Doctors: Sometimes I get a sudden hissing sound in my right ear that lasts for a few minutes and then slowly goes away. What is it and is there anything I can do to make it stop? [...]

Dear Doctor: I’m 81 and usually go to bed by 10:30 p.m. and, though I would like to sleep until 7 or 7:30 a.m., I wake up after 5 or 5 ½ hours. I’ve tried 3 milligrams of melatonin, then 5 milligrams. What else can I do?

Dear Doctor: I’ve been taking niacin for years to lower my cholesterol.  Do you think it really helps? First, let’s look at niacin and its role in the body. Niacin is a B vitamin that the body needs to create the [...]

Dear Doctors: Our dad insists that he doesn’t want any heroic or extraordinary measures taken if he gets really sick, and he wants one of us children to relay this message to his medical team.  Should he have a living will? Dr. Elizabeth Ko and [...]

Dear Doctor: Are there natural remedies for arthritis? Exercises that could help? My pain is in the upper arms and shoulders. Osteoarthritis, the kind that you’re describing, is the most common type of arthritis.  It’s caused by degeneration of the cartilage [...]