Melatonin often helpful for sleep

Dear Dr. Gott: On television, they recently claimed there are no sleep benefits from melatonin. Since then, I’ve scanned the newspapers for some kind of verification. Would you please give me your views?

Dear Reader: I am not aware of the program you watched; therefore, I can’t comment on it except to say that melatonin is a safe and often effective sleep aid used by many people. The compound occurs naturally in the brain and is a vital component in the brain’s ability to reset its biological clock.

Melatonin is especially effective in helping travelers adjust to different time zones and for pilots who cross these zones frequently.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my health report “Sleep/Wake Disorders.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: Three years ago, I had a heart attack. I now have three coated stents.

My last total cholesterol count was 163. My HDL was 69 and LDL was 83. My triglycerides are usually under 50.

My doctor wants to increase my Lipitor from 40 milligrams to 80 milligrams. He wants my LDL under 50. I’m 71 years old, and I’m not really keen on statin drugs.

I’m very thin and weigh 154 pounds. I eat very few fatty foods. My diet (“caveman’s diet”) consists of nuts, fruit, berries, vegetables and some meat, mostly fish, chicken and turkey. I’m also very active.

What is your opinion of increasing my Lipitor to 80 milligrams considering the above information?

Dear Reader: Far be it from me to judge your physician’s decision to lower your LDL. I can say that your case is challenging because you have coronary artery disease that must be aggressively treated, and most experts recommend an LDL as low as possible in cases such as yours.

You need some guidance regarding the risks versus the benefits of increasing your Lipitor dosage. Would using a second cholesterol-lowering drug along with Lipitor achieve the same goal without increasing the risks of liver inflammation and muscle damage? I don’t know, but this is a compromise option that your doctor might consider.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my health reports “Coronary Artery Disease” and “Understanding Cholesterol.” Other readers who would like copies should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 for each report to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

Dear Dr. Gott: At long last, there is a study confirming your use of Vicks VapoRub for toenail fungus. Published in the March 2006 Consumer Reports (p. 49), the investigators concluded that Vicks VapoRub is a welcome therapy because it is so inexpensive.

Dear Reader: Thank you for sending me the brief column. Despite thousands of letters attesting to its benefits, Vicks had yet to achieve status.

In the event that even less expensive treatment becomes available, I’ll inform my readers.