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Heart Attacks, Low T & Fertility Issues: Should You Worry About Taking Ibuprofen?

Heart Attacks, Low T & Fertility Issues: Should You Worry About Taking Ibuprofen?
March 26, 2018Dr. Grant RadermacherChiropractic News

There’s A Reason NSAIDs Are Designed For Short-Term Use.

Is anything good in excess? Sure, you can make the argument that excess has its place in things like love, art, and sports. But for everything else – especially when it comes to medicine – excess usually ends up causing more harm than help.

There’s been a whirlwind of discussion recently about one of the most widely-used NSAID painkillers – ibuprofen – and its potential effects on everything from heart attack risk to hormone levels and male fertility. This comes after repeated studies have shown that ibuprofen can cause a bevy of digestive problems as well as medical problems for pregnant women and their babies, including doubling of the risk of miscarriage.

What’s more, these aren’t just concerns for chronic users; the authors of the studies found that it took as little as two weeks of daily ibuprofen use to see these effects.

The Research

In the latest research, published in the BMJ, scientists looked at the impact of ibuprofen use on the risk of heart attack for 446,000 individuals. The results showed a 20 to 50 percent increase in risk of a heart attack for those who took 1200mg or more of ibuprofen per day compared with those who didn’t use NSAIDs like ibuprofen.

In another study, researchers found ibuprofen use for six weeks or more in healthy men significantly disrupted their production of sex hormones. The result was a greater risk of fertility issues as well as muscle loss, erectile dysfunction and fatigue. The scientists who led the study said that while the disorder was temporary in the volunteers, they feared it could become permanent in long-term ibuprofen users.

Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs work great to reduce pain and minimize inflammation, but too often they’re used without thinking of them as actual medicine. For example, last year FIFA’s chief medical officer warned of an alarming trend among soccer players abusing NSAIDs like ibuprofen. He noted that in a survey about their use of over-the-counter painkillers, nearly half of professional soccer players reported that they took ibuprofen every single day.

The Bottom Line

Like everything else in life, to stay healthy take all things in moderation. There’s little risk in taking ibuprofen to alleviate pain in the short term, but there’s good reason to be cautious about using it for extended periods. Take it sparingly, only when you need it, and make sure you’re also taking care of what’s causing the problem in the first place. Remember, our body uses pain as a signal for us to pay attention and take action, not to just cover it up.

At Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield, we utilize hands-on spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy, postural strengthening exercises and active rehabilitation to improve function and correct the cause of your pain. And if we can’t help, we’ll sort out whether you should be in the care of a physical therapist or medical doctor and refer you appropriately. Ready to get rid of pain and activate your health naturally? Make an appointment by calling us at 262-345-4166 or via our online scheduling app.

Sources:
Kristensen DM, et al. Ibuprofen alters human testicular physiology to produce a state of compensated hypogonadism. PNAS 2018 January: 115(4) E715-E724.
Wise, J. Diclofenac and ibuprofen are associated with increased risk of cardiac arrest. BMJ 2017; 356.




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Comments

John Reply
April 12, 2018

Wow, eye opening article. I have taken NSAID’s for recovery after a work out for sore muscles but this article gives me second thoughts. I will look for a herbal alternative to deal with inflammation instead. Thank you.

Hoffmann Reply
April 14, 2018

Wow, Good article.

When you’re in pain, it’s natural to want relief. Whether you’re suffering from arthritis, menstrual cramps, or a pulled muscle, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can ease your aches and help you get on with your life. But like all medicines, OTC pain relievers can cause side effects and may not be safe for everyone

nasimfertility Reply
April 24, 2020

great article. really informative. thankyou for sharing this.

Shuvam Dutta Reply
June 18, 2020

I have taken NSAIDs previously for healing a cramp. It really worked well. Recommended for those suffering from pain, cramps involving fever and swelling

Fred Reply
June 26, 2020

Been dealing with anxiety my whole life, I tried many different things, remedies, and even therapy and felt I was getting nowhere and started to feel helpless.

I´ve always been against taking any form of drugs to deal with my issue as I wrongly thought it would create addiction so, changing one issue for another it wasn´t a tradeoff I was ready to make.

But, I started taking CBD gummies thanks to a couple of friends “trick me” into taking them.

True story? IT CHANGED MY LIFE!!

Uday Singh Reply
September 2, 2020

This is really very good article. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
What are the benefits of Exercise or Physical Activities?

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Ascent Chiropractic

16620 W Bluemound Rd
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