Many athletes in many sports are chronic users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Triathletes are no exception: 26% of 2008 Ironman Brazil entrants. NSAIDs can hook us by reducing pain and thereby enable training harder. But NSAIDs can have serious adverse effects, some of which impede repair and remodeling in muscle, tendon, and bone with training. Weigh in if you think regular use of NSAIDs is or is not worth the risks.
I guess I don’t think it is worth it since I never use them.
I use any medication as sparingly as I can. And never more than my doctor or cardiologist allow.
I had a friend back in the day. He’d injured his achillies 3 weeks out from IMC and was on the Ibuprofen. At race start he was urinating blood! He vomitted several times in the swim, couldn’t hold down any liquid for several hours on the bike. By then he was well dehydrated. The run only made it worse.
As he crossed the line in about 10:30, he blacked out and slammed into the ground. The ‘catchers’ at the finish line never anticipated needing to catch someone at 10:30 so missed him. His face was a mess.
He woke up in hospital about 90 minutes later, on his 3rd IV, with his wife beside him, wondering if he was going to live or die.
A week later, he won a local Oly race.
Strong like Ox, smart like Tractor!
Ibuprofen (vitamin I for athletes) can cause kidney damage and failure. Sounds like the ox you described had renal shut down. People with kidney problems should not use NSAIDs.
Many athletes in many sports are chronic users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Triathletes are no exception: 26% of 2008 Ironman Brazil entrants. NSAIDs can hook us by reducing pain and thereby enable training harder. But NSAIDs can have serious adverse effects, some of which impede repair and remodeling in muscle, tendon, and bone with training. Weigh in if you think regular use of NSAIDs is or is not worth the risks.
Forget the urinating blood and kidney’s/liver problem. It’s linked to erectile dysfunction!! Yikes!
I never used to use Ibuprofen. Then a couple of years ago, I tried for a summer and had a horrible experience. I was framing a house for most of the summer, so work was physically challenging, and I was also training for a marathon. I was sore in different places every day from the combo of work and running. Nothing major, just soreness. I started taking a daily ibuprofen after work and before running just because I was sick and tired of being achy. Then it turned into two. On race morning, I grabbed three (not sure what I was thinking). I had a horrible race, and experienced soreness around my kidneys for days after, with traces of urine in my blood. That scared the living crap out of me, and I haven’t used it since.
The funny thing is, when I was taking them, I don’t even think they really alleviated the soreness, or allowed me to train harder, but I felt like if I were to stop taking them, it would be worse. I believe I read somewhere that NSAID’s don’t dull the pain caused by DOMS anyways, can anyone confirm that?
I’m a kidney specialist and seen more than my share of kidney failure from NSAID overuse. They can also cause stomach ulcers, can increase blood pressure, and other side effects others have mentioned.
Besides all of that, I would remind everyone of what they already know - pain is a signal of a problem. Masking it may get you through a workout, but if you are doing something repeatedly that causes pain, you risk serious and permanent injury. So don’t ignore the pain but fix the problem. If you’ve got a nagging pain on race day? Fine. Post-workout to relieve discomfort once in a awhile? ok. But to take them frequently is asking for trouble.
I generally don’t take anything for pain unless it’s keeping me awake. Outside of that I like to have unaltered status reports from my body.
The funny thing is, when I was taking them, I don’t even think they really alleviated the soreness, or allowed me to train harder, but I felt like if I were to stop taking them, it would be worse. I believe I read somewhere that NSAID’s don’t dull the pain caused by DOMS anyways, can anyone confirm that?
NSAID users in the 100-mile Western States Run reported similar post-race DOMS as non-users. Ironically, the users had higher blood levels of protein carbonyl, an indicator of greater oxidative muscle damage. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17541866
I have tried pain relievers but not NSAIDs. I never got hooked on em’ but this thread reminded me to take them out for some upcoming 112 mile rides I have on the indoor rollers. It def. helps get rid of pain and improves performance no doubt about it.
NSAIDs not good because they can upset your stomach and make you have to take a shit. I have also heard taking them during excessive exercise can be bad for the heart.
As long as you take no more than the maximum amounts per day I do not think it is unhealthy.
I use motrin as my NSAID of choice, but rarely go there. I prefer to stretch and get on the torture device called the foam roller on a regular basis to help relieve any soreness/stiffness.
i use Jack Daniels … has the same potential side effects. kidney dammage, pissing blood, erectile disfunction. all the good ones.
but it’s just more fun along the way.
Tim
I have tried pain relievers but not NSAIDs. I never got hooked on em’ but this thread reminded me to take them out for some upcoming 112 mile rides I have on the indoor rollers. It def. helps get rid of pain and improves performance no doubt about it. NSAIDs not good because they can upset your stomach and make you have to take a shit. I have also heard taking them during excessive exercise can be bad for the heart. As long as you take no more than the maximum amounts per day I do not think it is unhealthy.
Are you referring to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin? I think all of the other over-the-counter pain relievers are NSAIDs. Tylenol can damage the liver and aspirin is notorious for eroding the stomach.
Interesting article - sorry it is only the abstract but conveys the point: http://adisonline.com/sportsmedicine/Abstract/2012/42120/The_Use_of_Nonsteroidal_Anti_Inflammatory_Drugs.3.aspx
My personal thought is that NSAIDs used sparingly are fine but there are better ways to treat the underlying inflammation. Typically they are better at helping mask the pain, even if it is a placebo effect, so you can keep training (despite doctor’s orders - still have my NCAA mentality 
).
Interesting article - sorry it is only the abstract but conveys the point: http://adisonline.com/...mmatory_Drugs.3.aspx
My personal thought is that NSAIDs used sparingly are fine but there are better ways to treat the underlying inflammation. Typically they are better at helping mask the pain, even if it is a placebo effect, so you can keep training (despite doctor’s orders - still have my NCAA mentality ).
Agree, it’s the long-term habitual use of NSAIDs that is counterproductive in sports, especially for regeneration of damaged muscle. Agree, there are better ways than drugs to manage localized inflammation, such as cryotherapy (ice packs, etc.). Athletes are hooked on NSAIDs if they rely on them to work out.
Interesting article - sorry it is only the abstract but conveys the point: http://adisonline.com/...mmatory_Drugs.3.aspx
My personal thought is that NSAIDs used sparingly are fine but there are better ways to treat the underlying inflammation. Typically they are better at helping mask the pain, even if it is a placebo effect, so you can keep training (despite doctor’s orders - still have my NCAA mentality ).
Agree, it’s the long-term habitual use of NSAIDs that is counterproductive in sports, especially for regeneration of damaged muscle. Agree, there are better ways than drugs to manage localized inflammation, such as cryotherapy (ice packs, etc.). Athletes are hooked on NSAIDs if they rely on them to work out.
Except when that is not really an option. I used naproxen daily to help control swelling after my Achilles surgery, hard to ice through a cast. Didn’t use them much past the point where I was able to walk without the boot, though. Only used 1.5 Lortab’s the day or so after surgery.
John
Devlin, I agree that a short course of NSAIDs may be indicated for an injury. Also, a pain pill prescribed for an existing condition such as arthritis or low back pain should be taken as directed by the physician, or voluntarily discontinued with the physician’s knowledge.
I think it’s fair to assume that many people don’t know how to properly use an NSAID for it’s maximum benefit and therapy. Walking in the door from a hard ride/run and popping NSAIDs to prevent or wipe out general soreness from exercise is pretty silly. I used to think for real pain (acute or chronic) that I should just take one dose of an NSAID in an episodic fashion to try to put out the fire and when the pain didn’t go away with 2-3 days of usage I wrote it off as “Advil doesn’t work for me”.
I had a really good experience using Ibuprofen back in July when I had some pretty insane and debilitating (not sleeping at night) pain from disc/facet issues in my low back. For a couple of months I was just putting out the fire by taking Advil only when I thought I really needed it. Doc called me on the phone, had me give him a run down of how I was using Ibuprofen…stopped me and said, “No, I want you to take 3 X 800mg/day for 14 days with a 4 X 1000 kicker of Tylenol and don’t stop even if your back feels 100%. We need to get you sleeping so you can heal.”. Made sense. Of course he cautioned me about ulcers, etc and advised me to use a PPI to help with any gastric discomfort. About 3-4 days into the round of Ibuprofen I felt nearly 100%. I kept on the 14 day course and it healed me from a pretty awful state I was in. Ten days later I went on a week-long backpacking trip in the Wind Rivers in WY and was fine.
I’m not a doc but I’ve had my fair share of bad luck with injuries and other health stuff. When I follow the directions, take the medication and let my body heal it seems to always work out in my favor. I don’t believe there’s any real benefit to suffering through pain.
For 18 months I took Alleve 440 mg twice a day. I had significant knee issues and it helped. I did 2 IMs while taking it but backed off on the dose 3-4 days before race and just 220 mg race morning. When I tried to get off it 2-3 weeks before IM, I would have rebound effect.
After IMFL last year had some major surgery to realign my knee (HTO and TTO) to hopefully avoid knee replacement in near term. I don’t take it any longer but stopped running last year and walking is uncomfortable more days than not.
Sometimes before bed if I’m too sore to get a good nights sleep. Not for training or racing.