Harvard Women's Health Watch articles from March 2004

Harvard Women's Health Watch archives from March 2004

The trouble with trans fat.
March 1, 2004... FDA regulations passed in July 2003 require that food manufacturers begin listing -- by no later than January 1, 2006 -- the trans fat content of their products. It has always been included as part of "Total Fat" but not listed separately. ...

Cancer; Bladder cancer in women: No time to wait.
March 1, 2004... Bladder cancer is more common in men, but more often discovered at an advanced stage in women. Know the warning signs -- and act on them quickly. Women aren't always alarmed when they see blood in their urine. They're accustomed to...

Update on dietary supplements for depression.
March 1, 2004... When does an alternative therapy become mainstream? When enough studies show that it's safe and effective. For mild to moderate depression, a handful of supplements seem headed in that direction. Although dietary supplements such as...

By the Way, Doctor; Is Zetia better than a statin?
March 1, 2004... Q I've heard about a cholesterol drug called Zetia. Does it work better than a statin? A Zetia (ezetimibe) is neither better nor worse than a statin; it simply works by a different mechanism. Like a statin, ezetimibe reduces total...

By the Way, Doctor; Should I be tested for the breast cancer gene?
March 1, 2004... Q I was astounded to read that women who test positive for the breast cancer gene have as much as an 80% risk of getting breast cancer. Shouldn't we all be tested? A Two major genes are associated with susceptibility to both breast cancer...