DEAR DR. GOTT:
I dare you to print this. I am an 80-year-old male and have become suspicious of overly hyped products. This primarily applies to supplements, pills, potions and lotions that claim to cure this, that and anything else. One of these is a product called Rutin. A pharmacist wrote to you about it a while ago and claimed it was used for varicose veins, hemorrhoids, preventing strokes and reducing capillary permeability and fragility. You responded back that it was used for poor blood circulation, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, skin bruising and Meniere’s disease. You also added that it was in a class of water-soluble plant pigments with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. I am wary of any product that claims to be a cure-all. Good health is most often a holistic process, not achieved by simply taking pills.
DEAR READER:
In most instances I agree with you. However, based on my reader responses, suggestions and those of the many pharmacists, physicians and scientists that read my column, Rutin is a highly beneficial product. While it is over-the-counter and may be over-hyped, I believe it is rightfully so. It does in fact relieve symptoms from hemorrhoids, vein fragility (which can cause bruising or stroke if the veins burst) and more. While the product may have many properties, it appears to work best for blood vessel health which is far from a cure-all. Thanks for writing.
