Ibuprofen

[Superhuman7]

I'm trying to clear up some questions/myths about Ibuprofen.

I have read that Ibuprofen slows muscle growth, so I've avoided using it for injuries unless absolutely necessary. I have a few minor injuries right now and Ibuprofen seems to really help with pain and inflammation. Am I hurting my gains by using it? NOTE: I'm aware of the dangers of long term use (google Kenny Easley, formerly of the Seahawks).

Also, are there any possible harmful interactions that could take place between Ibuprofen and other supplements (creatine, NO-based preworkout supplements)?

Could Ibuprofen inhibit the absorption of micronutrients if taken in close proximity to a multivitamin/superfood?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[Doobalips]

This should be interesting, I used to take them all the time.


Had no idea about this! :eek:

[Doobalips]

Past research shows that ibuprofen has serious health concerns and significantly inhibits protein synthesis - the conversion of proteins into new muscle tissue.


That may clear a few things up.

[Superhuman7]

Here is an article that highlights my concerns:

Ibuprofen- Friend or Foe?

The other day I was chatting with a new young friend with a passion for running- turns out he also played high school basketball and happened to ask me what I knew about ibuprofen. It seems it was common practice for his teammates to pop 800 mg before games and who knows how much after.

The practice of taking over the counter anti-inflammatories is not uncommon among high school athletes. One survey found 75% of high school football players used them.

Since it was approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter drug in 1984, ibuprofen has been thought of as a harmless yet effective way to relieve pain related to such maladies as arthritis, joint pain, toothache, headache, sports injury, fever, or general muscle pain due to overuse. In the military, ibuprofen has been standard issue for years in first aid kits and used extensively by soldiers hoping to ward off the inevitable muscle soreness following a long march or ?hump? (hence the nickname ?grunt candy?).

Ibuprofen can be your friend and is considered safe and effective if taken for a few days at a time or as prescribed by your doctor. When using over-the-counter ibuprofen such as Motrin, take exactly as recommended on the container. The maximum dose for over-the-counter ibuprofen is no more than 1200 mg in one 24 hour period (one or two 200 mg tablets taken every 4-6 hours).

Professional athletes, once notorious for popping ibuprofen and other pain killers like candy, nowadays are wary since two of their own, Sean Elliot of the San Antonio Spurs and Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat, underwent kidney transplants. Mourning is convinced that his kidneys were damaged by years of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen. According to this article, another athlete, former Seattle Seahawk football player Kenny Easley, thinks he lost a kidney because during one stretch in his playing days he took up to 32 ibuprofen tablets a day.

The National Kidney Foundation estimates that 10% of kidney failures are due to "substantial overuse of NSAIDS." While doctors and the Kidney Foundation both maintain that there is no established link between the kidney condition afflicting Mourning and Elliot, called focal segmental sclerosis, and use of anti-inflammatory drugs, players around the league remain unconvinced.

Since it is sold as an over-the-counter drug without a prescription, ibuprofen is generally thought of as safe. However, when taken under extreme conditions that may promote dehydration, in excess, or for long periods of time, it can cause health problems.

NSAIDs work by inhibiting prostaglandin, a hormone that plays a role in sensing pain, controlling fever and inflammation. It also regulates blood flow to the kidneys. During exercise, it becomes vitally important that the kidneys receive adequate blood and oxygen in order to continue normal function. As dehydration levels rise, such as during exercise, ibuprofen becomes more concentrated, potentially reaching toxic levels.

Some general rules on taking ibuprofen are:

1. Do not take ibuprofen before, during, or shortly after lengthy endurance exercise, especially when there is potential for dehydration.

2. Take ibuprofen with a full glass of water or milk, ideally with meals to avoid stomach irritation.

3. Do not take with alcohol.

4. Don?t take in combination with other medicines, supplements, or herbal products without first consulting with your physician or pharmacist.

5. Avoid if you have a history of any reaction or allergy from another anti-inflammatory medication.

6. Discontinue use immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms: urine that is cloudy or bloody, pain or burning in the stomach, diarrhea or black tarry stools, severe nausea, indigestion or heartburn, vomiting blood.

7. Do not use if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

8. Talk to your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, heart failure, ulcers or other stomach problems.


http://daveelger.blogspot.com/2007/07/ibuprofen-friend-or-foe.html

[Superhuman7]

That may clear a few things up.

Yeah, that is one of the issues I have had with taking it. That being said, if reducing inflammation allows me to train and helps injuries heal faster, it becomes an issue of "the lesser of two evils".

[Haywood Jablome]

I'm trying to clear up some questions/myths about Ibuprofen.

I have read that Ibuprofen slows muscle growth, so I've avoided using it for injuries unless absolutely necessary. I have a few minor injuries right now and Ibuprofen seems to really help with pain and inflammation. Am I hurting my gains by using it? NOTE: I'm aware of the dangers of long term use (google Kenny Easley, formerly of the Seahawks).

Also, are there any possible harmful interactions that could take place between Ibuprofen and other supplements (creatine, NO-based preworkout supplements)?

Could Ibuprofen inhibit the absorption of micronutrients if taken in close proximity to a multivitamin/superfood?

Thanks in advance for any insight.
The only study I have seen where they showed that ibuprofen inhibited protein synthesis, the doses were very high. ~ 1200 mg taken before a workout. However, this is surely something to keep in mind.

One of the most common problems with NSAID's is that it is a COX-2 inhibitor which reduces inflammation in the body while at the same time also inhibiting the body from producing its protective lining for the stomach. This can often lead to ulcers and bleeding ulcers which may cause death. There are >7000 over the counter pain killer deaths in the US per year.
So, at the very least, make sure to take your ibu with FOOD.

Sometimes, we need the body to produce these inflammatory properites so that it can heal. But, if its chronic inflammation, there may be other issues at hand.

[Superhuman7]

Right. I have read some articles describing the IMPORTANCE of inflammation as a means of eliminating damaged tissue from the injured area. That being said, I believe controlling inflammation (as opposed to eliminating it completely) is supposed to be ideal.

[RyanGrob]

It said Mourning was taking it for years and Easley took 32 tablets in one day?!? Jesus, you're right, if you disobey the label on drugs they have the potential to be hazardous. The same with ANY drug you take. It's WELL KNOWN you can not have a prolonged use of ANY NSAIDS. Just use in moderation and you'll be fine.

[Superhuman7]

Obviously professional athletes are the extreme. My question was pointed toward obtaining additional information regarding the truth (or lack thereof) in the claims that Ibuprofen inhibits protein synthesis... as well as determining whether or not there could be unsafe interactions with the other products I am taking (creatine, NO2, and an NO-based preworkout supplement). I know that Ibuprofen is a blood thinner and NO is supposed to be a vasodilator (depending on who you believe). As such, I am curious if this combination could be dangerous. Also, I want to make sure that the TIMING of my Ibuprofen intake will not interfere with my body's uptake of vitamins and minerals.

So, no, I'm not proposing taking 32 tablets a day or even taking Ibuprofen for years. I included that article for reference. I'm just trying to increase my knowledge on the topic. That IS what this message board is for... right?

[Haywood Jablome]

Also, I want to make sure that the TIMING of my Ibuprofen intake will not interfere with my body's uptake of vitamins and minerals.


as far as I know, it shouldnt

and I dont know of any NSAID's/supp interactions.....

[adamt1985]

what about naproxen sodium?

[Fresch]

There is a post elsewhere about the effects of ibuprofen on inhibiting the healing of tissue.

Injured muscles and tissues release certain prostaglandins that cause pain. Doctors prescribe aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen to block these prostaglandins that cause pain, but these same prostaglandins also help wounds to heal by releasing chemicals that cause extra blood vessels to be laid down to repair the damaged cells. So drugs that block pain often delay healing.

Some popular anti-inflammatory drugs slow tendon healing in laboratory animals when taken immediately after surgery, according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs like ibuprofen impede tissue repair by virtue of retarding inflammation. The present study was undertaken to explore if linking of nitrooxyethyl ester to ibuprofen reverses its healing-depressant propensity. Nitrooxyethyl ester of ibuprofen (NOE-Ibu) was synthesized in our laboratory through a well-established synthetic pathway. NOE-Ibu was screened for its influence on collagenation, wound contraction and epithelialization phases of healing, and scar size of healed wound in three wound models, namely, incision, dead space, and excision wounds. Besides, its influence on the oxidative stress (levels of GSH and TBARS) was also determined in 10-day-old granulation tissue. NOE-Ibu was further screened for its antiinflammatory activity in rat paw edema model. NOE-Ibu promoted collagenation (increase in breaking strength, granulation weight, and collagen content), wound contraction and epithelialization phases of healing. NOE-Ibu also showed a significant antioxidant effect in 10-day-old granulation tissue as compared to ibuprofen. Results vindicate that the esterification of ibuprofen with nitrooxyethyl group reverses the healing-suppressant effect of ibuprofen. The compound also showed equipotent antiinflammatory activity as ibuprofen.

PGs have been shown to modulate skeletal muscle protein metabolism as well as inflammation and pain. In nonskeletal muscle tissues, the over the counter analgesic drugs ibuprofen and acetaminophen function through suppression of PG synthesis. We previously reported that ibuprofen and acetaminophen inhibit the normal increase in skeletal muscle protein synthesis after high intensity eccentric resistance exercise. The current study examined skeletal muscle PG levels in the same subjects to further investigate the mechanisms of action of these drugs in exercised skeletal muscle. Twenty-four males (25 ? 3 yr) were assigned to 3 groups that received the maximal over the counter dose of ibuprofen (1200 mg/d), acetaminophen (4000 mg/d), or a placebo after 10?14 sets of 10 eccentric repetitions at 120% of concentric 1 repetition maximum using the knee extensors. Preexercise and 24 h postexercise biopsies of the vastus lateralis revealed that the exercise-induced change in PGF2 in the placebo group (77%) was significantly different (P < 0.05) from those in the ibuprofen (-1%) and acetaminophen (-14%) groups. However, the exercise-induced change in PGE2 in the placebo group (64%) was only significantly different (P < 0.05) from that in the acetaminophen group (-16%). The exercise-induced changes in PGF2 and PGE2 were not different between the ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups. These results suggest that ibuprofen and acetaminophen have a comparable effect on suppressing the normal increase in PGF2 in human skeletal muscle after eccentric resistance exercise, which may profoundly influence the anabolic response of muscle to this form of exercise.

[Fresch]

what about naproxen sodium?

Potentially the same issue

[Haywood Jablome]

Results vindicate that the esterification of ibuprofen with nitrooxyethyl group reverses the healing-suppressant effect of ibuprofen. The compound also showed equipotent antiinflammatory activity as ibuprofen.


These results suggest that ibuprofen and acetaminophen have a comparable effect on suppressing the normal increase in PGF2 in human skeletal muscle after eccentric resistance exercise, which may profoundly influence the anabolic response of muscle to this form of exercise.
good read
thanks

[JustBlaze08]

Im immune to it...does me no good