FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

BLOOD IN SEMEN USUALLY NOT SERIOUS; NUTRASWEET RESEARCH PRODUCES INCONCLUSIVE RESULTS

Question: I have a rather personal question I've never seen addressed in your column. The last several times I have ejaculated, there has been a dark "blood" color to my semen. There has been no pain or change in sensation. I have no idea whether this is serious or not. What do you think?

Answer: As you know, semen is usually a thick, yellowish-white fluid. The presence of a "blood" color indicates a problem that should be checked out. However, in most cases, this condition hematospermia in doctor jargon is not associated with a serious problem.

When you go to the doctor, he or she will conduct a thorough examination of your penis, prostate and testicles. If your family doctor finds anything suspicious, you may be referred to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary and reproductive system problems.

The reason I suggest that you seek medical advice for this problem is that there are so many possible ways blood can get into the semen, and some of them can be quite serious. You see, the prostate gland produces most of the volume of seminal fluid, but the testicles, seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands also make a contribution.

Injury to any of these structures that produce part of the seminal fluid or injury to connecting ducts can cause the bloody color you noted. Infection, trauma even minor trauma and tumors are all possible causes for your bleeding. Usually, though, doctors cannot pinpoint the exact cause, and the hematospermia is chalked up to some unidentified, minor inflammation.

Question: A few weeks ago, "60 Minutes" did an exposÈ on the artificial sweetener NutraSweet. They had interviews with several scientists and doctors who felt that the government relied on shoddy research when they approved NutraSweet. Many of the people interviewed seemed convinced that NutraSweet caused brain tumors, which have been on the increase since the artificial sweetener was introduced. I drink two or three cans of pop with NutraSweet every day. Is this safe?

Answer: I also saw the presentation. My reaction was one of renewed disappointment with broadcast journalism. You see, health topics get the attention of most adults. Therefore, it is in the TV network's best interest to produce flashy and controversial topics that draw a large share of the viewing audience. There is rarely an attempt to explain complex issues in an evenhanded fashion except on PBS because being reasonable isn't particularly exciting.

I've reviewed the research on aspartame, the chemical name for NutraSweet, and believe that a link between use of the product and brain cancer has not been proven. A most revealing finding was that before NutraSweet's introduction, 53 individuals out of every million developed tumors of the central nervous system compared to 48 per million beforehand. Many social, health-care, and environmental factors, as well as statistical anomalies, could cause this small difference. It doesn't show there is a problem with this very common product. What it does show is that it would be wise to study this issue further.

So where does that leave you and me the consumers of NutraSweet? I'm sure that the decreased sugar intake and its resultant reduction in obesity and diabetes has saved many lives. That should be considered as one decides whether to consume the artificial sweetener while more accurate studies are done to determine if any risk of brain cancer is associated with its use. I'm still using NutraSweet, and I suggest that it is OK for you to use the product sensibly. Its benefits outweigh its potential risks.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.