Health Tips ... from UPI

SURGERY CAN STOP SWEATING DISORDER

A minimally invasive surgery has been shown effective in treating hyperhidrosis, a condition marked by profuse sweating, its developer says. San Antonio surgeon Dr. David Nielson says the procedure offers certain benefits over the use of Botox injections, which he sees as a temporary fix. "Patients using Botox for hyperhidrosis will have to go through another round of injections every six months to curb the sweating," Nielson said. Hyperhidrosis is caused by an overactive sympathetic nerve that causes excessive sweating of the hands, face, feet and underarm area. Nielson developed the Micro ETS procedure to treat the condition. In the 20-minute procedure, he makes tiny cuts under each arm. Using microscopic tools, he navigates the lung cavity to the sympathetic nerve chain where he severs the overactive sympathetic nerve. Patients are able to leave the hospital two to four hours after the surgery, he says.

WEIGHT LOSS MAY SLOW LIVER DISEASE

Losing weight and exercising regularly can slow the progression of chronic liver disease in overweight patients, researchers report. They note a fatty liver not due to alcoholic intake increasingly is being diagnosed in patients who are overweight, diabetic or who have insulin resistance syndrome, a precursor to diabetes. They say overweight and obesity also are risk factors for other chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis C. "Once considered a relatively benign disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver is deemed to be much more serious as it can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer," the researchers said. In their study, the scientists found levels of the liver enzyme, ALT, which in high measure is associated with liver disease, dropped in patients who lost weight, kept it off and exercised regularly. Their insulin levels also fell, said Dr. Elizabeth Powell of Princess Alexandra Hospital in Australia.

TOO MUCH OF VITAMINS MAY CAUSE HARM

Even though vitamins carry numerous health benefits, too much of them may cause such problems are liver troubles, hair loss and some neurologic disorders. The Mayo Clinic Health Letter points to vitamins A, D and B-6 as potentially dangerous at high doses. Vitamin A can promote healthy vision, bone growth, reproduction and regulation of the immune system, but excessive amounts -- more than 5,000 international units a day -- can lead to such adverse side effects as reduced bone mineral density, a risk factor for osteoporosis, and liver, hair and neurology problems. The recommended daily amount is 3,000 IU for men and 2,330 IU for women. Vitamin D helps the body absorb dietary calcium and deposit it in bones and teeth. The recommended amount is about 400 IU a day for people 51 to 70, 600 IU for those over 70. More than 2,000 IU a day may cause excessive urination, high blood pressure, calcium deposits in soft tissues (kidney stones) and kidney damage. Too much vitamin B-6 may damage nerves, leading to numbness of feet and hands, unsteady gait and impaired reflexes. The recommended amount for men over 50 is 1.7 milligrams daily and for women over 50, 1.5 mg/day. More than 100 mg/day can pose health risks, the letter cautioned.

--

(Editors: For more information about SWEATING, contact Beth Reinhardt at (210) 296-6964. For WEIGHT, Emma Dickinson at +44 (0)20 7383 6529 or edickinson@bmj.com. For VITAMINS, Carol Lammers at (507) 284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu)