The People's Pharmacy: The scoop on floating poop

Q: I was watching Oprah and heard a doctor on her show say that poop should never float. Why?

A: Health professionals have been debating the causes of "floaters" vs. "sinkers" for decades. Some believe floating is caused by excess fat in the stool as a consequence of digestive disease. Others maintain that gas is the culprit.

If you feel well and have no diarrhea or other symptoms, it probably makes little difference. If it persists, tell your doctor at your next visit so she can rule out anything serious.

Q: With Nexium more than $4 a pill, I ordered it from an online Canadian drugstore. When the pills came, they were from India and were generic.

This medicine did not work, and now I have my asthma symptoms and cough back. I don't know what I will do, since I can't afford the name brand.

A: Acid-suppressing drugs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec and Protonix can relieve reflux. Some people with this condition develop other symptoms, such as asthma or cough, as a result of acid irritation. If your medicine is not working, your condition might be aggravated.

You have discovered one of the pitfalls of using an online pharmacy. Not all "Canadian" pharmacies are in Canada. Some online drugstores source their medicines from around the world to get a better price. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no control over the quality of such medicines.

Q: I had been suffering in silence as my hair changed its texture from wavy to straight. Then my fingernails began to deteriorate. I read in your column that too much selenium in the diet could affect hair and nails adversely.

At the time, I was taking a supplement that contained selenium along with the lecithin I wanted. I immediately switched to a lecithin-only supplement. After about six months, my nails began to recover. In another four to six months, my hair had become wavy again, and my nails were much stronger. Thank you!

A: Selenium is an essential mineral, but excess selenium can be toxic. Loss of hair and nails has occurred both among Chinese people whose diets were naturally high in selenium and in Americans taking supplements with too much selenium.

The tolerable upper limit of selenium is around 400 micrograms daily. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, and an ounce (roughly half a dozen) provides 800 micrograms. Overindulging regularly could lead to selenium toxicity.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org