Drink amount of water thirst calls for

Dear Dr. Gott: I am a curious, active, 73-year-old male of about 160 pounds. I have a few questions.

Here is the setting: It is a bright, clear day, around 70 degrees. I plan to go on a 24-hour fishing trip.

1) How much water should I consume during that period? 2) How many ounces will I discharge? 3) What causes the color in urine? 4) Vitamin C causes color. Are there other food causes? 5) Can I consume too much water? 6) How much is too much? 7) Have I asked too many questions?

Dear Reader: 1) Whatever your thirst tells you to drink. 2) The amount that exceeds your metabolic requirement. 3) Urobilinogen, a product of metabolism. 4) Not to my knowledge. 5) Yes. Recent studies have shown that excessive fluid consumption can lead to a mineral imbalance in the body. 6) Depends on the activity and ambient temperature (i.e., fluid loss). 7) Readers never ask too many questions.

Dear Dr. Gott: I have suffered from nightly leg cramps for years. Nothing was effective in preventing (or causing) them until I read your soap-fix in the newspaper. Being desperate, I placed a bar of soap under the bottom sheet of my bed, near my legs.

I have not had a cramp in the 18 months that I have used this. How does it work?

Dear Reader: I haven’t a clue, nor do the hundreds of satisfied readers who have written me of their successes. But I rarely argue with a favorable outcome.

If you would like to read more about this and other problems that generally affect the over-50 crowd, I suggest you acquire my new book, “Live Longer, Live Better: Taking Care of Your Health After 50.” It can be purchased by writing to Quill Driver Books, 1254 Commerce Ave., Sanger, CA 93657, by calling (800) 605-7176 or by going online at www.QuillDriverBooks.com.

Dear Dr. Gott: I’m 57 and do not wish to have a routine colonoscopy. Why isn’t the stool blood analysis a reasonable substitute?

Dear Reader: The stool blood exam indicates the presence of blood, but not the source of the bleeding.

Therefore, while it may be a suitable screening technique, it has been largely superceded by the colonoscopy procedure, which is far more sensitive, accurate and desirable.

Note here that I am referring to actual colonoscopy, not the “virtual” component by X-ray that is receiving a lot of scrutiny.

In my opinion, the problems with virtual colonoscopy are more than remedied by the advantages of standard colonoscopy.