Sunday, September 6, 2009

NSAIDS before competition?

A friend of mine turned me onto this study. There was an article in the NY times I believe just recently about this as well. Reasons and consequences of Ibuprofen use prophylacticly. I've had many people, both patients and teammates in the past, pop good old Vitamin I (ibuprofen) before competitions, races and matches. Well this research shows that unless there is an acute injury, ibuprofen could be doing more harm then help.

This study compared the blood work after races of those runners that did and did not take ibuprofen. Those that did, had more elevated inflammation. Read that again, the athletes that were taking it to lessen inflammation, had more! So leave ibuprofen alone unless you have an acute injury. The perils of this have been written before about the possible GI disturbance and damage, but now a little bit more information and reason to keep the use down even more.

3 comments:

Dr Scott said...

In a 1997 study in the US there were 0ver 16,000 deaths attributed to "vit I" that was the same number that year that died from Aids.... Even for acute injury I would look at something else like Kaprex...a natural product from metagenics. Had almost the same effects as celebrex but with no side effects.
They also have an acute package that gives you all the best vitamins to decrease pain and inflammation and start healing. check it out, later J

Jason Ross said...

Toby! Hey great to hear from you. I will have to look into Kaprex....I know Metagenics is a great company.

Mike T Nelson said...

Good info!

Ironically, a recent study presented at ACSM this past year in older adults showed that Vit I did NOT decrease muscle hypertrophy; and ironically increased it a bit.

Much to learn yet!
Rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)