Men's Health: Doctor's Secrets

ByABC News
February 16, 2001, 10:56 AM

Feb. 16 -- There's something your doctor isn't telling you. The drug he's prescribing may not be the one you really ought to take. There's probably a newer, better drug that'll cure you faster or that costs less.

If you do battle with any of the following eight conditions, these new drugs may be your weapons of choice but only if you ask for them.

SAVE YOUR HEART: Welchol (colesevelam), for high cholesterol Geltex Pharmaceuticals

Most men with high cholesterol take Baycol, Zocor, Lipitor, or similar drugs all members of the statin class of cholesterol busters. By blocking a liver enzyme, they can cut cholesterol levels by as much as 50 percent. But they're expensive ($50 or more for 30 tablets), and in rare cases they've caused serious liver problems.

Welchol costs less and can help men achieve a 20 percent drop in cholesterol without causing these side effects. This drug doesn't act directly on the liver; it binds to bile acids in the digestive tract, which forces the liver to draw cholesterol out of the bloodstream. Further, while previous bile-acid drugs were mixed into foul, gritty liquids that caused bloating, Welchol is a pill that only rarely causes mild constipation and flatulence and heck, that's nothing new.

"Welchol's a great choice for men with slightly elevated cholesterol levels," says Peter H. Jones, M.D., of the Baylor college of medicine in Houston. Men with serious cholesterol problems can combine it with a statin to attack cholesterol in two ways.

MAINTAIN HARD ERECTIONS: AndroGel, for low testosterone Unimed Pharmaceuticals

About 5 million men have low testosterone levels, a common cause of low sex drive and lost muscle mass after age 40. AndroGel is the first treatment that doesn't require shots or irritating patches worn on your back, abdomen, upper arms, or thighs. Apply this clear gel once a day to your torso. "It's convenient and leads to consistent delivery, without the peaks and valleys that can occur with injectable testosterone," says Adrian Dobs, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins University school of medicine. In a study of 227 men, those using AndroGel enjoyed greater improvements in muscle strength, lean body mass, sexual function, and mood with less skin irritation than the men who used patches.