DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I don’t remember you ever discussing high-fructose corn syrup and condensed corn syrup. Almost every product includes these ingredients. Please let us know the dangers and why the government allows it. — T.L. ANSWER: Fructose is the sugar found in fruits. Table sugar is sucrose, a combination of fructose and glucose. up to the 1980s, sucrose was the universal sweetener. In the 1980s, a process was discovered that turned cornstarch into corn syrup and then into fructose. Fructose was then combined with glucose to produce a sugar product with the terrible name of high-fructose corn syrup. It’s very similar to sucrose, table sugar. High-fructose corn syrup consists of 45 percent glucose and 55 percent fructose. Table sugar is 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. High-fructose corn syrup is as sweet as and cheaper than table sugar, the sugar that comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. Those are powerful motivations for manufacturers to use it in commercial products like soft drinks, baked goods, energy bars and many candies. So why all the fuss? People have increased their consumption of high-fructose corn syrup foods and drinks to such an extent that they have become a main source of their calorie intake. some feel it is the reason that the obesity epidemic has struck North America. like other sugars, it has a high glycemic index, meaning that it produces high spikes in blood sugar, which may lead to problems like diabetes. Excessive amounts cause fat accumulation in the liver. One 12-ounce can of most soft drinks has the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories — a large sugar load and a large calorie load. The average American drinks 36 gallons of soft drinks in a year. It contributes to the girth expansion of Americans, but it’s not the only factor. Blaming high-fructose corn syrup for all the ills of people is too extreme. All the same, it does add to the obesity surge, and it does have all the negatives that ordinary table sugar has, like dental decay and empty calories — calories without any other nutrients. The government allows it because, in moderation, it’s not a danger to health. I can’t find any information on “condensed” corn syrup, and believe me I have looked hard. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: A gentleman wrote to you about needing a prostate biopsy because his PSA was high. I went through the same experience. My PSA climbed, and my doctor suggested a biopsy. One was done, and everything was fine. later, after looking on the Internet, I came across an item by a doctor who said men should not have a PSA test for 72 hours after an ejaculation. I checked the dates of my tests and found that my wife and I had had intercourse prior to those tests. now I wait 72 hours before the test, and my results have come back normal. do you think my doctor will be upset if I take this paper from the Internet to him? He thinks this had nothing to do with my PSA elevation. — W.S. ANSWER: The doctor will be glad you brought him your reference from the Internet. that doctor-author is a recognized authority on prostate cancer. “PSA” stands for “prostate-specific antigen,” a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer. It’s far from a perfect test. It can be high when no cancer is present, and it can be low when cancer isn’t present. Nevertheless, it is the only prostate cancer lab test we have. Prostate enlargement and prostate inflammation also raise the PSA. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: will you explain a ganglion cyst? why do they occur? where do they go when they disappear? I was about to have surgery on mine, and it just disappeared. — D.B. ANSWER: A ganglion is a soft lump filled with semisolid protein material. It’s attached to the lining of a joint or the covering of a tendon. The back of the wrist is the place where most ganglions appear. many produce no symptoms. some are painful or interfere with motion. No one knows what causes them. Equally mysterious is why some disappear. The body absorbs the gelatinous material. be thankful; your body did you a favor.
* * *Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from rbmamall.com.
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