Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Changes Hair Color

Q. I have read in your column that cholesterol-lowering drugs might affect hair color. I was relieved because I was afraid I was going nuts.
My hair has been pure white for years. Since I started taking Zetia I have noticed that it has turned steel gray with black mixed in. My doctor has never heard of this side effect and is skeptical.
A. We have not been able to find any scientific documentation on this interesting observation. Nevertheless, we have heard from dozens of readers who have reported that their hair has become darker while they were taking Zetia, Zocor or other cholesterol-lowering drugs. We can’t explain it and we don’t know the significance of this reaction.
Q. My problem is constipation. I have tried many different foods and over-the-counter remedies but they do not seem to be effective for very long.

The daily fiber drink (Metamucil) worked the best. It lasted 5 months before it stopped producing results.
I have also taken Colace and senna and they worked for a while. Now I am eating prunes and drinking more water, which also helped for a few weeks.

Could constipation be a reaction to my medications? I take enalapril, verapamil, Levothroid and gemfibrozil. I would appreciate any help you can provide.
A. Trying to combat drug-induced constipation with laxatives, fiber or fluids is an uphill battle. A medicine like verapamil (Calan, Covera-HS, Isoptin, Verelan) frequently causes constipation. Gemfibrozil (Lopid) may also cause constipation or diarrhea.
Perhaps your physician can find a substitute for one or both of these medications to ease your discomfort. In the meantime, we are sending you our Guide to Constipation with a list of other drugs that may cause this side effect plus our Ten Tips to Combat Constipation. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped, self-addressed envelope: Graedons’ The People’s Pharmacy®, No. GG-30, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It can also be downloaded for $2 from the Website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q. I am a diabetic, and I’m afraid I’m missing something in my diet. My hair is rapidly falling out and my nails refuse to grow. They just split, despite nightly moisturizing.
My doctor doesn’t know why my nails and hair are having trouble. I eat carefully, but I take a lot of medicines: insulin and metformin for diabetes, atenolol and HCTZ for blood pressure, lovastatin for cholesterol and Prilosec for reflux. Could any of them be contributing to this problem?
A. We are concerned that you may be deficient in vitamin B12. While hair loss is not the most serious sign of vitamin B12 deficiency, it is one possible result. Your diabetes medicine metformin (found in ACTOplus Met, Avandamet, Glucophage, Glucovance) and your reflux drug omeprazole (Prilosec) could both contribute to lower levels of vitamin B12.
Other symptoms to be alert for include anemia, fatigue, unsteadiness, nerve damage (burning, tingling, weakness or numbness in hands or feet), depression or mental confusion.
Please ask your doctor to test your B12 and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels. If you are deficient, you may need vitamin injections to get you back in balance.