Hi, Everyone,

I wanted to share two important pieces of news from the past few weeks related to two over-the-counter medications that many people take on a daily, or at least regular, basis: ibuprofen and aspirin.

Daily low-dose aspirin no longer recommended for prevention of cardiovascular disease

As you may know, current U.S. guidelines suggest that people who are middle-aged or older take low-dose aspirin daily to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Now, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force is revising that recommendation because the risks of daily aspirin use (which include potentially fatal bleeding events) outweigh the potential benefits in people with no pre-existing heart disease. You can read more about this change here. 

Ibuprofen use may worsen chronic back pain

A study out of McGill University in Canada found that taking ibuprofen for acute pain conditions may increase the risk of developing chronic pain. While the mechanism is not yet clear, researchers believe that the inflammation that occurs shortly after an injury has a protective effect long term, and that overly suppressing that inflammation with ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory drugs may interfere with the healing process. 

I’ve curated some of my articles and podcasts related to these topics below, so you can learn about alternatives to aspirin and how to address pain naturally. 

RHR: 4 Natural Alternatives to Aspirin

In this podcast, which is a few years old now but still relevant, I discuss research that raises concerns about low-dose aspirin, and four natural compounds that can have similar effects in terms of improving hemodynamics and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How Safe Is Your Over-The-Counter Medicine?

In this article, I present research on a number of over-the-counter medications, including ibuprofen, which suggests that they may not be as safe as commonly believed. I also discuss five natural compounds that can help relieve pain and other symptoms that OTC medications are used for.

My Healing Regimen for Injuries and Surgery

In this article, I share the regimen that I use myself and with my patients after they’ve been injured or they’ve had surgery—including diet, supplement, and lifestyle interventions.

I hope this helps!

 In health,
Chris

P.S. If you’re looking for additional support with pain, inflammation, or other chronic health problems from a Functional Medicine perspective, consider working with Tracey O’Shea FNP-C at my former clinic, California Center for Functional Medicine. Tracey has worked closely with me for six years, and is also the current director of the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training Program. She’s a wealth of knowledge and an incredibly skilled clinician, and she just had a few slots open up in her practice. Click here to learn more about Tracey and get started as a patient. I’m also happy to extend their new patient discount for anyone who is thinking about getting started. Just enter the code TO100OFF at sign up!