What Does Your Hair Say About Your Health?

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Does Bad Hair Mean Bad Health?

Is your hair trying to tell you something about your health? Maybe. Some conditions and medications affect your body as well as your hair. In other cases, you may just need to take better care of your hair or scalp. Use this guide to see what separates myth from fact when it comes to your health and your hair.

White Flakes Pose No Health Risk

Dandruff isn’t contagious. So how do you get it? Doctors aren’t sure, but one theory is that it may be due to an overgrowth of a fungus. Other possible triggers include skin that’s either too dry or too oily, shampooing either too often or not often enough, and having eczema or psoriasis. While it’s embarrassing – and the itching can be bothersome -- dandruff isn’t harmful.

Tips for Dandruff Treatment

To decrease the buildup of dandruff’s dead skin cells, try using an anti-dandruff shampoo daily. Leave shampoo on for 5 minutes, then rinse well. You may need to try several dandruff shampoos to find one that works best for you. If one stops working, try another. If that doesn’t help, call your doctor.

Yellow Dandruff?

If the dandruff flakes you see are greasy and yellow, you may have seborrheic dermatitis. It’s an inflammatory skin condition that can occur where there are lots of oil glands, like the scalp and face. Though seborrheic dermatitis is related to hormones, fungus, and even some neurological problems, it’s treated the same as dandruff: with anti-dandruff shampoos. Severe cases may need a prescription steroid or antifungal medicine.

You May Shed More Than You Think

It’s not a perfect measure, but some experts estimate that we may shed up to 100 or more hairs a day. That’s not cause for alarm, nor does it mean you’re going bald. About 90% of your 100,000 hair follicles are growing at any given time. The other 10% are in a resting (telogen) phase, and the hair falls out after about 2 to 3 months. It’s replaced by new hair, and the growth cycle starts over again.

What Causes Telogen Effluvium?

A shock to your system -- surgery, giving birth, some medications, crash diets, severe stress, thyroid problems -- can push hair into its resting, or telogen, state. About 2 months later, you may see hair falling out -- a condition called telogen effluvium, sometimes described as hair “coming out in handfuls.” In most cases, new hair starts growing right away. Your doctor should determine if your telogen effluvium needs treatment.

An Attack on Hair Follicles

In alopecia areata, your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall out -- often suddenly. Most people will have one or two bald patches, but in some cases all body hair falls out. Alopecia areata isn’t harmful, but it can be tough psychologically. Hair may grow back on its own or with treatment. Unfortunately, some people don’t respond to treatment and may experience repeated hair loss and regrowth.

Genes Cause 90% of Male Hair Loss

Though hereditary, the trait may be more influenced by your mother’s family than your father’s. So a look at your maternal grandfather’s locks may give you a better clue about the future of yours. Male pattern baldness often starts with receding hair at the temples, then on the crown, leaving a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the sides of the head. Medications to slow hair loss include Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride).

How Female-Pattern Baldness Happens

Hair loss in women tends to mean hair thinning all over the head. Unlike men, women rarely go bald, and they tend to lose hair more slowly than men do. Other myths: Longer hair won’t put a strain on the roots, causing more to fall out. Nor will shampooing pull hair out -- it just gets the ones that were falling out already. Women’s Rogaine (minoxidil) or prescription medications may help preserve hair.

Avoid Sun Damage to Hair

Too much sun can turn your hair into a brittle, dry mop that breaks and splits easily. And if you already have thinning hair, you risk a sunburn on your scalp. Choosing hair care products with sunscreen provides some protection, although it can be hard to coat your hair evenly. That’s why it’s a good idea to wear a hat when you’re out in the sun -- especially if your scalp is exposed.

Luscious Locks Need Nutrients

Could a crash diet cost you your hair? In extreme cases, it could. Your hair needs protein and iron to stay healthy, along with omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A. Very low-cal diets are often lacking in these nutrients and can stunt hair growth or leave hair dull and limp. If the nutritional deficiency is big enough -- like for someone with an eating disorder -- hair can fall out.

A Hair and Heart-Healthy Diet

Keep hair shiny by eating salmon for omega-3 fatty acids; spinach and carrots for vitamin A; brazil nuts for selenium; and oysters and walnuts for zinc. All help maintain scalp and hair health, as do low-fat dairy, whole grains, and vegetables. Double the results: foods good for your hair are also good for your heart.

Premature Gray Hair Is Genetic

Going gray isn’t always related to aging. If you’re not yet 40 and see more than a few gray hairs, chances are it runs in your family. Gray usually isn’t a sign of poor health, though anemia, thyroid issues, vitamin B12 deficiency, and vitiligo can cause premature graying. You can highlight or color hair to cover the gray, but beware: some people are sensitive to the dye’s chemicals. The result is an itchy, burning scalp.

Traction Alopecia Damages Follicles

Pulling hair too tight -- as can happen with ponytails, braids, and cornrows -- can damage hair roots and cause hair to break or fall out. Hair extensions and hairpieces can sometimes cause traction alopecia, too, because their extra weight pulls on existing hair. Changing your hairstyle usually lets hair grow back. Pulling hair back tightly for a long time, though, can lead to permanent hair loss.

Overstyling Weakens Your Hair

Blow drying, using a flat iron, bleaching, even over-brushing -- all can damage the outer layer (cuticle) of your hair. When the inner core of hair is exposed, your locks become dry and dull. Although it doesn’t cause any permanent health damage, you can overstyle to the point that your only option for healthy hair is to cut it off and start over. When it comes to your hair, doing less leads to healthier tresses.

A Surprising Side Effect

Among the medications that list hair loss as a side effect: Coumadin (warfarin); Lopid (gemfibrozil); antidepressants; beta-blockers; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); and drugs for gout, arthritis, birth control, and high blood pressure. Usually, hair grows back when the medication is stopped, but some drugs may cause permanent hair loss, or trigger male or female pattern hair loss. Ask your doctor about possible side effects.

Scalp Massage Feels So Good

There’s no evidence that massaging your scalp will slow hair loss or improve any scalp conditions -- but it can do wonders for your brain. Your scalp is covered with nerve endings that make it super-sensitive to touch. Rubbing your scalp increases blood flow and releases tension. It also triggers your brain to release feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin.

Hair Analysis Not Reliable

Some companies claim they can analyze hair clippings to see if you are deficient in vitamins or have health problems. While hair analysis can detect some poisons like lead or arsenic, there are no testing standards. Labs may report different findings from the same hair sample. And everything from air pollution to shampoo can change your hair’s mineral makeup. The American Medical Association is against hair analysis to determine treatment.

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What to Know About Omega-3s and Fish

What to Know About Omega-3s and Fish

To get the essential Omega-3 your body needs, eat a lot of fish or take a Omega-3 capsule.

Experts explain which fish are best for omega-3s, and which you should limit due to mercury.

Fish and omega-3 fatty acids. If you keep up with the latest nutrition news, you may have a pretty good sense of what they offer. But, if you're like many people, you still can't tell your omega-3s from your omega-6s -- and you sure as heck can't pronounce eicosapentaenoic acid. That's OK. Our fishing expedition turned up some interesting facts to share about omega-3 fatty acids and fish.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty layers of cold-water fish and shellfish, plant and nut oils, English walnuts, flaxseed, algae oils, and fortified foods. You can also get omega-3s as supplements. Food and supplement sources of these fatty acids differ in the forms and amounts they contain.

There are the two main types of omega-3 fatty acids:

* Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These are plentiful in fish and shellfish. Algae often provides only DHA.

* Short-chain omega-3 fatty acids are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). These are found in plants, such as flaxseed. Though beneficial, ALA omega-3 fatty acids have less potent health benefits than EPA and DHA. You'd have to eat a lot to gain the same benefits as you do from fish.

Fishing for Facts: What Studies Reveal About Omega-3s and Fish

In addition to omega-3s, fish is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. And, it's low in saturated fat. Though more research is needed, it appears that your body absorbs EPA and DHA better from fish and fortified foods than it does from fish oil.

Hundreds of studies suggest that omega-3s provide protection against a wide range of diseases: cancer, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

How could fatty acids be so beneficial for so many different conditions?

"All these diseases have a common genesis in inflammation," says Joseph C. Maroon, MD, professor and vice chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Co-author of Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory, Maroon says that in large enough amounts omega-3's reduce the inflammatory process that leads to many chronic conditions.

For these and other reasons, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidelines about fish, along with the American Heart Association and American Dietetic Association. They recommend consuming two 8-ounce servings of fish each week.

The Other Fatty Acid: Omega-6

Unfortunately, the American diet is swimming in omega-6s instead, says Jeffrey Bost, PAC, clinical instructor in the department of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and also co-author of Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory.

"It's in almost everything we eat," he says. "Our diet has shifted away from fresh veggies and fish to foods high in omega-6s, such as crackers, cookies, and corn-fed beef."

Before the introduction of grains, fats, and artificial substances, says Maroon, the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s was two to one. Today, we consume at least 20 times more omega-6s than omega-3s. The problem is that omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation in the body, while omega-3s do just the opposite.

Powerful Health Benefits of Omega-3s

Many studies documenting the benefits of omega-3s have been conducted with supplemental daily dosages between 2 and 5 grams of EPA and DHA, more than you could get in 2 servings of fish a week. But that doesn't mean eating fish is an exercise in futility. Many studies document its benefits. For example, a 2003 National Eye Institute study showed that 60- to 80-year-olds eating fish more than twice a week were half as likely to develop macular degeneration as those who ate no fish at all.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids as Brain Food

DHA is one of the most prevalent fatty acids in the brain, and is highly synthesized along synapses. This could partly explain why our brains do better with a greater supply. A Rush Institute for Healthy Aging study analyzed fish-eating patterns of more than 800 men and women, ages 65 to 94. Those eating fish at least once a week were much less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who turned up their nose at it.

Another study of more than 2,000 Norwegians, ages 70 to 74, used food-frequency questionnaires to evaluate consumption of five different types of fish. The researchers then conducted cognitive tests. Those who ate fish of any kind were two to three times less likely to perform poorly on the tests. Fish eaters were also healthier -- and less likely to have epilepsy, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and osteoporosis -- than those who didn't eat fish.

Investigators at the University of Kuopia, Finland, and at Harvard Medical School looked at the incidence of silent brain damage in about 3,500 people age 65 or older. Eating tuna or other non-fried fish was associated with a 25% lower risk of these abnormalities, which are linked to higher rates of stroke and cognitive decline.

Cancer Prevention With Omega-3s

Among 1,300 Swedish men, those who ate salmon and similar fish, such as herring or mackerel, had a much lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those who didn't eat fish. Those eating five or more servings a week had a 64% lower risk of the disease.

Omega-3s for Healthier Arteries

Following postmenopausal women in Finland and the United States, investigators found that those eating two or more servings of fish each week had healthier arteries than women who ate less than two servings. Benefits were even greater in those eating tuna or another type of dark fish at least once a week.

To Fish or not to Fish -- Weighing the Benefits and Risks

Mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are common toxins in seafood. Although the U.S. banned the use of PCBs and DDT in 1976, these and other chemicals are still used in half the world's commercial chemical processes. Substances like these can hang around in the air, soil, and water for many years. They end up in the bodies of fish and animals.

The higher on the food chain, the greater the accumulation of toxins. Fish that eat plants are less contaminated than those that eat other fish. That's why it's better, in general, to eat smaller fish lower on the food chain or smaller portions of fish that may be contaminated.

The FDA released an advisory in 2004 about fish. The alert wasn't meant for everyone. It was directed at women who were planning to become pregnant, were already pregnant, or were nursing a young child. For this group of people, the FDA advised against eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish -- which contain high levels of mercury.

The FDA didn't throw all the proverbial fish back in the water, though. It recommended eating two meals, or up to 12 ounces a week, of a variety of fish and shellfish containing lower amounts of mercury. Safer sources cited were:

* canned light tuna

* catfish

* pollock

* salmon, especially wild salmon

* shrimp

The FDA also made similar recommendations for feeding fish and shellfish to young children, but in smaller portions. It recommended checking local advisories for information about locally caught fish.

Questioning Conventional Wisdom About Fish

Muddying the waters, though, are research results outside the U.S. Some of these studies challenge U.S. assumptions and advice about fish consumption by pregnant women.

In a U.K. study, children of mothers who ate more than 12 ounces a week actually scored better on tests of verbal I.Q., social behavior, and development and communication than children of mothers who ate none. In the Seychelles Islands, where people average 12 fish meals -- not ounces -- a week, there are no reports of links between mercury exposure and poor outcomes in children. These studies suggest that eating less than 12 ounces of fish each week could do more harm to a child's developing neurological system than mercury poisoning.

Unfortunately, fears about mercury and other pollutants may have caused Americans to start eating less fish. Following the FDA's advisory, the Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy at the University of Maryland took an opinion poll of more than 1,000 Americans. What they found was this:

* A little more than a third ate fish occasionally.

* More than 1 in 10 were eating less fish and feeding less to their children than before the advisory came out.

* Most people didn't realize the FDA aimed its advisory at only certain groups: women who are pregnant, nursing babies, or planning to get pregnant soon.

Go wild. Some farmed fish, like tilapia, are fed corn and grain, which is full of omega-6s, says Bost. Farmed salmon -- fed chopped up fish -- has higher levels of PCBs and other contaminants. Wild fish, by contrast, eat other fish that have consumed algae, which are great sources of omega-3s. In general, steer clear of farmed fish, says David K. Becker, MD, MPH, assistant clinical professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.

Cast about for healthy canned tuna. Think all tuna is created equal? Think again. Choose canned light tuna instead of tuna steaks or albacore tuna. It tends to have less mercury. Albacore may contain three times the mercury of chunk light tuna. Check fish guides for the latest information about foods low in toxins but high in omega-3. Here are two good sources:

* Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch web site

* Environmental Defense Fund web site

Do the sniff test. Buy the freshest fish you can find. The longer a fish is exposed to oxygen, says Bost, the more rancid it will become, losing some of its omega-3 benefits. Before cooking, smell fish to see if it's become rancid.

Cook it up right. You can't remove toxins by cooking, but you minimize exposure to PCBs by removing fish skin and surface fat before eating.

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Are You Taking Today's Most Popular Vitamin?

Calcium Magnesium D

The hottest topic in medicine isn't the newest drug or the latest surgical device: It's vitamin D.

What brought the simmering debate to a boil was a 2007 study showing that people taking normal vitamin D supplements were 7% less likely to die than those who didn't take the daily supplements.

A year later, a major study found that when women with low vitamin D levels get breast cancer, they have a much higher chance of dying from their cancer than women with normal vitamin D levels.

That was surprising news. But just as surprising is the fact that many men, women, and children have insufficient blood levels of this important vitamin.

How many? Data suggest many of us don't get the vitamin D we need. For example, a 2007 study of childbearing women found insufficient vitamin D levels in about 50% of women.

These findings recommend doubling the amount of vitamin D a child should take, is also advised for adults to increase their vitamin D intake also.

Vitamin D Overview

Vitamin D can be found in small amounts in a few foods, including fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines and tuna. To make vitamin D more available, it is added to dairy products, juices, and cereals that are then said to be “fortified with vitamin D.” But most vitamin D – 80% to 90% of what the body gets – is obtained through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D can also be made in the laboratory as medicine.

Vitamin D is used for preventing and treating rickets, a disease that is caused by not having enough vitamin D (vitamin D deficiency). Vitamin D is also used for treating weak bones (osteoporosis), bone pain (osteomalacia), bone loss in people with a condition called hyperparathyroidism, and an inherited disease (osteogenesis imperfecta) in which the bones are especially brittle and easily broken. It is also used for preventing falls and fractures in people at risk for osteoporosis, and preventing low calcium and bone loss (renal osteodystrophy) in people with kidney failure.

Vitamin D is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is also used for diabetes, obesity, muscle weakness, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and tooth and gum disease.

Some people use vitamin D for skin conditions including vitiligo, scleroderma, psoriasis, actinic keratosis, and lupus vulgaris.

It is also used for boosting the immune system, preventing autoimmune diseases, and preventing cancer.

Because vitamin D is involved in regulating the levels of minerals such as phosphorous and calcium, it is used for conditions caused by low levels of phosphorous (familial hypophosphatemia and Fanconi syndrome) and low levels of calcium (hypoparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyroidism).

Vitamin D in forms known as calcitriol or calcipotriene is applied directly to the skin for a particular type of psoriasis.

If you travel to Canada, you may have noticed that Canada recognizes the importance of vitamin D in the prevention of osteoporosis. It allows this health claim for foods that contain calcium: "A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and regular physical activity, help to achieve strong bones and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” But the US version of this osteoporosis health claim does not yet include vitamin D.

How does Vitamin D work?

Vitamin D is required for the regulation of the minerals calcium and phosphorus found in the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper bone structure.

Sun exposure is an easy, reliable way for most people to get vitamin D. Exposure of the hands, face, arms, and legs to sunlight two to three times a week for about one-fourth of the time it would take to develop a mild sunburn will cause the skin to produce enough vitamin D. The necessary exposure time varies with age, skin type, season, time of day, etc.

It’s amazing how quickly adequate levels of vitamin D can be restored by sunlight. Just 6 days of casual sunlight exposure without sunscreen can make up for 49 days of no sunlight exposure. Body fat acts like a kind of storage battery for vitamin D. During periods of sunlight, vitamin D is stored in fatty fat and then released when sunlight is gone.

Nevertheless, vitamin D deficiency is more common than you might expect. People who don’t get enough sun, especially people living in Canada and the northern half of the US, are especially at risk. Vitamin D deficiency also occurs even in sunny climates, possibly because people are staying indoors more, covering up when outside, or using sunscreens consistently these days to reduce skin cancer risk.

Older people are also at risk for vitamin D deficiency. They are less likely to spend time in the sun, have fewer “receptors” in their skin that convert sunlight to vitamin D, may not get vitamin D in their diet, may have trouble absorbing vitamin D even if they do get it in their diet, and may have more trouble converting dietary vitamin D to a useful form due to aging kidneys. In fact, the risk for vitamin D deficiency in people over 65 years of age is very high. Surprisingly, as many as 40% of older people even in sunny climates such as South Florida don’t have enough vitamin D in their systems.

Vitamin D supplements may be necessary for older people, people living in northern latitudes, and for dark-skinned people who need extra time in the sun, but don’t get it.

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12 Health Risks of Heavy Alcohol Drinking

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Health Risks of Alcohol: 12 Health Problems Associated with Chronic Heavy Drinking

It's no secret that alcohol consumption can cause major health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and injuries sustained in automobile accidents. But if you think liver disease and car crashes are the only health risks posed by drinking, think again: Researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases.

"Alcohol does all kinds of things in the body, and we're not fully aware of all its effects," says James C. Garbutt, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a researcher at the university's Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. "It's a pretty complicated little molecule."

Here are 12 conditions linked to chronic heavy drinking.

Anemia

Heavy drinking can cause the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells to be abnormally low. This condition, known as anemia, can trigger a host of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness.

Cancer

"Habitual drinking increases the risk of cancer," says Jurgen Rehm, PhD, chairman of the University of Toronto's department of addiction policy and a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, also in Toronto. Scientists believe the increased risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Cancer sites linked to alcohol use include the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region. Cancer risk rises even higher in heavy drinkers who also use tobacco.

Cardiovascular Disease

Heavy drinking, especially bingeing, makes platelets more likely to clump together into blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. In a landmark study published in 2005, Harvard researchers found that binge drinking doubled the risk of death among people who initially survived a heart attack.

Heavy drinking can also cause cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly condition in which the heart muscle weakens and eventually fails, as well as the heart rhythm abnormalities atrial and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, in which the heart's upper chambers (atria) twitch chaotically rather than constrict rhythmically, can cause blood clots that can trigger a stroke. Ventricular fibrillation causes chaotic twitching in the heart's main pumping chambers (ventricles). It causes rapid loss of consciousness and, in the absence of immediate treatment, sudden death.

Cirrhosis

Alcohol is toxic to liver cells, and many heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, a sometimes-lethal condition in which the liver is so heavily scarred that it is unable to function. But it's hard to predict which drinkers will develop cirrhosis. "Some people who drink huge amounts never get cirrhosis, and some who don't drink very much do get it," Saitz says. For some unknown reason, women seem to be especially vulnerable.

Dementia

As people age, their brains shrink, on average, at a rate of about 1.9% per decade. That's considered normal. But heavy drinking speeds the shrinkage of certain key regions in the brain, resulting in memory loss and other symptoms of dementia.

Heavy drinking can also lead to subtle but potentially debilitating deficits in the ability to plain, make judgments, solve problems, and other aspects of "executive function," which are "the higher-order abilities that allow us to maximize our function as human beings," Garbutt says.

In addition to the "nonspecific" dementia that stems from brain atrophy, heavy drinking can cause nutritional deficiencies so severe that they trigger other forms of dementia.

Depression

It's long been known that heavy drinking often goes hand in hand with depression, but there has been debate about which came first -- the drinking or the depression. One theory is that depressed people turned to alcohol in an attempt to "self-medicate" to ease their emotional pain. But earlier this year, a large study from New Zealand showed that it was probably the other way around -- that is, heavy drinking led to depression.

Research has also shown that depression goes away when heavy drinkers go on the wagon, Saitz says.

Seizures

Heavy drinking can cause epilepsy and can trigger seizures even in people who don't have epilepsy. It can also interfere with the action of the medications used to treat the disorder.

Gout

A painful condition, gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Although some cases are largely hereditary, alcohol and other dietary factors seem to play a role. Alcohol also seems to aggravate existing cases of gout.

High Blood Pressure

Alcohol can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system, which, among other things, controls the constriction and dilation of blood vessels in response to stress, temperature, exertion, etc. Heavy drinking -- and bingeing, in particular -- can cause blood pressure to rise. Over time, this effect can become chronic. High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Infectious Disease

Heavy drinking suppresses the immune system, providing a toehold for infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (including some that cause infertility). People who drink heavily also are more likely to engage in risky sex. "Heavy drinking is associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease," Rehmn says.

Nerve Damage

Heavy drinking can cause a form of nerve damage known as alcoholic neuropathy, which can produce a painful pins-and-needles feeling in the extremities, as well as muscle weakness, incontinence, constipation, erectile dysfunction, and other problems. Alcoholic neuropathy may arise because alcohol is toxic to nerve cells, or because nutritional deficiencies attributable to heavy drinking compromise nerve function.

Pancreatitis

In addition to causing stomach irritation (gastritis), drinking can inflame the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis interferes with the digestive process, causing abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea --and "it's not fixable," Saitz says. Some cases of chronic pancreatitis are triggered by gallstones, but up to 60% stem from alcohol consumption.

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12 Possible Heart Symptoms Never to Ignore

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Don't miss these 12 possible warning signs that something is amiss with your heart.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer men and women. That's more than all forms of cancer combined.

Why is heart disease so deadly?

One reason is that many people are slow to seek help when symptoms arise. Yes, someone gripped by sudden chest pain probably knows to call 911. But heart symptoms aren't always intense or obvious, and they vary from person to person and according to gender.

Because it can be hard to make sense of heart symptoms, doctors warn against ignoring possible warning signs, toughing them out, waiting to see if they go away, or being quick to blame them on heartburn, muscle soreness, or other less serious, noncardiac causes. That's especially true for men and people over 65, as well as for people with other cardiac risk factors, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure, obesity, smoking, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease.

"The more risk factors you have, the higher the likelihood that a symptom means something is going on with your heart," says David Frid, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. "People often don't want to admit that they're old enough or sick enough to have heart trouble. Putting off treatment for other medical problems might not be so bad, but a serious heart problem can mean sudden death. It's better to go in and get it evaluated than to be dead."
12 Possible Heart Symptoms Never to Ignore

Here are a dozen symptoms that may signal heart trouble.

1. Anxiety. Heart attack can cause intense anxiety or a fear of death. Heart attack survivors often talk about having experienced a sense of "impending doom."

2. Chest discomfort. Pain in the chest is the classic symptom of heart attack, and "the No. 1 symptom that we typically look for," says Jean C. McSweeney, PhD, RN, associate dean for research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing in Little Rock and a pioneer in research on heart symptoms in women. But not all heart attacks cause chest pain, and chest pain can stem from ailments that have nothing to do with the heart.

Heart-related chest pain is often centered under the breastbone, perhaps a little to the left of center. The pain has been likened to "an elephant sitting on the chest," but it can also be an uncomfortable sensation of pressure, squeezing, or fullness. "It's not unusual for women to describe the pain as a minor ache," McSweeney says. "Some women say the pain wasn't bad enough even to take a Tylenol."

Women, more so than men, can also experience a burning sensation in their chest, rather than a pressure or pain. "Sometimes people make the mistake that the pain comes from a stomach problem," says Nieca Goldberg, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City and another expert on women's heart symptoms.

3. Cough. Persistent coughing or wheezing can be a symptom of heart failure -- a result of fluid accumulation in the lungs. In some cases, people with heart failure cough up bloody phlegm.

4. Dizziness. Heart attacks can cause lightheadedness and loss of consciousness. So can potentially dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities known as arrhythmias.

5. Fatigue. Especially among women, unusual fatigue can occur during a heart attack as well as in the days and weeks leading up to one. And feeling tired all the time may be a symptom of heart failure.

Of course, you can also feel tired or fatigued for other reasons. How can you tell heart-related fatigue from other types of fatigue?

"If you don't feel well and all the wind is knocked out of your sails, don't try to figure it out on the Internet or from a book," says Goldberg. "Wasting time is dangerous."

6. Nausea or lack of appetite. It's not uncommon for people to feel sick to their stomach or throw up during a heart attack. And abdominal swelling associated with heart failure can interfere with appetite.

7. Pain in other parts of the body. In many heart attacks, pain begins in the chest and spreads to the shoulders, arms, elbows, back, neck, jaw, or abdomen. But sometimes there is no chest pain -- just pain in these other body areas. The pain might come and go.

Men having a heart attack often feel pain in the left arm. In women, the pain is more likely to be felt in both arms, or between the shoulder blades.

8. Rapid or irregular pulse. Doctors say that there's nothing worrisome about an occasional skipped heartbeat. But a rapid or irregular pulse -- especially when accompanied by weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath -- can be evidence of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. Left untreated, some arrhythmias can lead to stroke, heart failure, or sudden death.

9. Shortness of breath. People who feel winded at rest or with minimal exertion might have a pulmonary condition like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But breathlessness could also indicate a heart attack or heart failure.

"Sometimes people having a heart attack don't have chest pressure or pain but feel extremely short of breath," Goldberg says. "It's like they've just run a marathon when they haven't even moved." During a heart attack, shortness of breath often accompanies chest discomfort, but it can also occur before or without chest discomfort.

10. Sweating. Breaking out in a cold sweat is a common symptom of heart attack. "You might just be sitting in a chair when all of a sudden you are really sweating like you had just worked out," Frid says.

11. Swelling. Heart failure can cause fluid to accumulate in the body. This can cause swelling (often in the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen) as well as sudden weight gain and sometimes a loss of appetite.

12. Weakness. In the days leading up to a heart attack, as well as during one, some people experience severe, unexplained weakness. "One woman told me it felt like she couldn't hold a piece of paper between her fingers," McSweeney says.

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