Medical Update - October 26, 2004

Monday, October 25th 2004, 3:04 pm

By: News On 6

Could drinking carbonated mineral water improve your cholesterol level? A new study show women who drank one liter per day of water rich in bicarbonate and sodium chloride lowered their total cholesterol by 7% and the bad cholesterol by 15%.

Researchers think the minerals and carbonation may help your body metabolize cholesterol.

Arthritis drugs that have recently come under scrutiny for possible links to heart problems- may help fight cancer. According to researchers the cox-2 enzyme disrupts the body's immune response allowing cancer cells to multiply.

Their study found cox-2 inhibitor drugs like Vioxx and Celebrex may boost the immune system's ability to attack brain tumors and possibly other types of cancer.

And if you're a little worried your indigestion may be something more serious, the American Gastroenterological Association encourages you to try it's new core score quiz on line.

You can answer a few quick questions about your diet and see if your tummy troubles may need the attention of a doctor. You can log on to www.gastro.org.