Your Health

By Janice M. Horowitz

GOOD NEWS

CHOLESTEROL COUNTS Still choosing between butter and margarine? Butter, of course, was the big no-no for cholesterol-conscious folks until scientists realized that the alternative, stick margarine, contains trans-fatty acids, which may be even worse for arteries. So what about the stuff in a tub? A new study shows that cholesterol levels can drop 10% in kids and adults within two weeks of switching from butter to soft tub margarine. There's a rub. Switching has no effect on the cholesterol of overweight subjects, who tend to have higher levels to begin with.

TYING THE KNOT Heard that tubal sterilization means having to live with difficult menstrual periods? Not so, finds the largest study yet on the topic. Women who underwent the contraceptive procedure--in which the Fallopian tubes are tied, cauterized or clamped--were compared with women in a control group. Result? No difference was found in menstrual pain, amount of bleeding or length of cycle.

HEPATITIS HOPE Hepatitis C, which afflicts 3 million Americans, is becoming the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis. Today's treatment? Mostly interferon, which is not always effective and has notoriously discomforting side effects like fever, chills, aches and pains. Researchers have developed a modified form of interferon called Pegasys that can be taken once a week instead of three times and has fewer, milder and more transient side effects. Best of all, Pegasys is two to five times as effective. FDA approval is expected soon.

BAD NEWS

STD UPDATE Sexually transmitted diseases aren't going away. Some 65 million Americans are currently infected with one or more STDs, and 15 million new infections occur each year. Most disturbing, after two decades of decline, gonorrhea incidence is up 9% since 1997. Meanwhile, 18% of women and 8% of men carry the human papilloma virus that causes half of all cervical-cancer cases. All the more reason to use a condom.--By Janice M. Horowitz

Sources: Good News--Journal of the American Medical Association (12/6/00); New England Journal of Medicine (12/7/00); Bad News--NEJM (12/6/00); CDC