Donald Trump medical: President takes pills to prevent hair loss and doesn't have an exercise routine, says White House doctor

Donald Trump takes pills to prevent hair loss and does not have an exercise routine, a White House doctor has revealed.

Navy physician Dr Ronny Jackson declared that Mr Trump's overall health "is excellent", however he added he could improve on diet and exercise.

He also said the president, who takes propecia for male hair loss, performed "exceedingly well" on his cognitive exam.

Details of Mr Trump's first medical since becoming president were announced on Tuesday.

Dr Jackson said that the 6ft 3in president weighed in at just over 17 stone or 239 pounds – three pounds heavier than he was in September 2016.

His blood pressure was 122 over 74, and his total cholesterol was 223, which is higher than recommended.

But Dr Jackson told reporters: "In summary, the president's overall health is excellent.

"He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol."

He added that he's confident that Mr Trump has a "very strong and a very probable possibility" of completing his presidency "with no medical issues".

Mr Trump's heart exam was normal, with regular rhythm and no abnormal sounds, he said.

The physician added that he had "absolutely no concerns" about Trump's cognitive abilities.

He speculated that Mr Trump asked for the cognitive exam, in which he achieved a perfect 30 out of 30 score, to be included in an attempt to beat back the recent narrative that he is mentally unfit for office.

"He's very sharp. He's very articulate when he speaks to me," Dr Jackson said. "I've never known him to repeat himself when he's around me. I found no reason whatsoever to think the president has any issues whatsoever with his thought process."

Mr Trump's cholesterol reading from the exam was borderline high even though he takes a low dose of the statin drug Crestor.

Dr Jackson said he would increase that dose in an effort to get Trump's so-called "bad" cholesterol, or LDL level, below 120; it currently is 143.

The president's body mass index, or BMI, of 29.9 puts him in the category of being overweight for his height. A BMI of 30 and over is considered obese.

The doctor said he prescribed a diet lower in fat and carbohydrates, and exercise. He said he'd like the president to lose 10 to 15 pounds over the next year.

Despite the diet and cholesterol concerns, Dr Jackson stressed that Mr Trump's "cardiac health is excellent".

Mr Trump passed a series of heart exams including a stress test that Dr Jackson said showed an above-average exercise capacity for a man of his age.

The physician described the president, who also takes a low-dose aspirin for heart health, as having "a lot of energy and stamina".

Mr Trump had his physical last Friday. He took office at age 70, making him the oldest person ever to be elected US president.