Admission: Knee’s kinda sore, slight muscle pull in chest. I want to swim and run tomorrow. Just took two ibuprofen because it seems to speed healing by reducing inflamation.
Do you take ibuprofen or other nsaids and how often?
Never, once a week, twice a week, once a month?
If never, is it because you don’t need it or because you don’t believe it is good?
Thanks for any feedback.
I can’t wait to see the answers to this one… In general, it’s not about how much and how long (that’s obvious - too much for too long will destroy your kidney/liver)… and less about when… but, it sure does make a difference as to why.
“Why” determines those conditions that usually leads to taking it at the wrong time… for too long and too much. It’s the reasoning (or - in most cases - justification) that determines NSAID’s ultimate effectiveness as a postitive or negative attribute.
Caffeine vs. NSAID’s Now that would be an interesting poll… How about an organic caffee latte celebrex - veinte’? 
FWIW Joe Moya
Sorry, I answered a question that wasn’t there. I thought you were asking if YOU should take NSAIDs (in our opinion). I explained you shouldn’t take NSAID advice from people on the net who have no idea of your training, history, etc.
In a team sport I would take anything and everything legal, including a cortisone shot, to get on the field if I thought I could help the team.
When it comes to an individual setting … If I had to take the NSAIDs to eleviate pain, I wouldn’t. If I had some discomfort, I would train without NSAIDs so I could tell if it was getting worse. If it’s numb (or my nerves or numbed somewhat) I can’t percieve increased soreness.
If I cannot train without NSAIDs (at my current status), then i cannot train. If I’m 10th in the world, that might change my perspective.
If it’s race day … I’ll take em.
Quick Q: How do you know the muscle is slightly pulled? Doctor? Trainer? Or is it just “slightly sore” A sore muscle can be trained (lessened intensity), a pulled muscle needs rest (and treatment).
I take NSAIDs, caffeine, EPO, hGH, and BioBuilde every day. Wash them down with a double half-caff soy latte with extra sugar.
Ibuprofen is a great drug - only one I use (o.k. a little alcohol and a little caffeine). I take it 1-2x/week - usually 600 mg. Not a very good anti-inflammatory - much much less so than most people believe but a good pain med. Does is block serious pain? I’d say no. I think it blocks mild annoying - pain that you worry about but really isn’t anything…Someone went off on it with that Molina Thread but I think that was a bit off…
Can it be dangerous? Sure all drugs have side effects - allergic type, idiosyncratic…but a whole ton of people chew the stuff like candy and seem to do fine…I haven’t really looked into it seriously but a lot of people seem to think that Ibuprofen can be dangerous in dehydration, extreme sports (IM racing…) by increasing the risk of hyponatremia and kidney side effects. There is a good chance that thats true. If I’m racing hard - longer distances - I won’t take it. If its a regular training day and I have an ache - I’ll take it. If the ache is worse the next day - I back off…
I don’t think its rocket science.
I don’t know about the purported long-term cartilage degrading effects, if there are really problems in that area. But, I DO know, without a doubt, there is an acute usage danger to your kidneys when associated with dehydration (I don’t know if there is any association with NSAIDS and hyponatremia…this sounds fishy to me). I also know, without a doubt, that NSAIDS in combination with alcohol is dangerous for your kidneys. Does this mean if you take 1 advil and drink a half of a light beer that you’ll be on dialysis? I would be extremely surprised. I would not be surprised, however, if someone took them during a dehydrating workout, or, took them in association with a bout of alcohol drinking and ended up with acute renal insufficiency. It really happens, and you really don’t want this to happen to you. Just be sensible.
Ibuprofen is great - sometimes!
I used to use it once in awhile, especially during heavy training when nagging little injuries cropped up.
However, I used to take them on an empty stomach and developed an ulcer from them. I had to take a few weeks completely off of training and wait another 2 months before being able to go hard again. My diet had to change completely during that time, too and it sucked!
Anyway, use ibuprofen with caution!
-Jay
Some good info worth reading about NSAIDS and athletes… http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/13/aspirin_kidneys.htm
I take Tylenol, when needed. Particularly if my bad knee is sore, or in early season when I’m building. Maybe once every 2 weeks.
I used to pop a couple before a bike race, along with 2 cups of foul gas station coffee. Haven’t done that for a couple of years though.
Sometimes after races (along with 2 litres of water) to help get rid of the dehydration headache I sometimes get.
Hey 2WheelsGood, most excellent article. I took Naproxyn once for a separated shoulder after a bike crash and have taken Ibuprofen twice for swollen ankles and once for a twisted knee in a ski crash. I did take it after a bunch of Ironmans and marathons as recommended by a marathoner friend to get rid of soreness, but iti just made my body feel like crap in general. I take flax seed daily and that is supposed be a natural antiinflamatory. It is supposed to be good for lowering high LDL. Now I am wondering what effect it has on overall kidney function. Can the doc and nutritionists in this forum comment on the effects of natural anti inflammatories such as flax seed and turmeric (key spice in many Indian foods), on kidney function. Can you have too much of a good natural thing if it is taken daily ?
NSAIDs - never
Caffeine - One cup of the strongest coffee you’ve ever seen at 5:30 AM usually 6 days a week. I skip coffee the morning of my long BT workout. No other caffeine during the day but will have a cup of decaf. Soda - once a month or less.
is it because you don’t need it or because you don’t believe it is good?
One of the best attitude changes I’ve had is to become more “purposeful” in every aspect of my life. By purposeful I mean asking myself the question “why am I (doing/eating/saying) this?” For NSAIDs, food, or anything else I put into my body I’m going to ask why and if there is a better way. For me, I have not run across a pain that there was not a better way to handle then through drugs. Don’t get me wrong, if I sprain my ankle and it is swollen, I’m going to ice it and tak anti-inflammatories. In that case there is not a better solution and I know exactly why I’m taking it.
So many people pop a few pills b/c they’ve gotten into the habit of doing so whenever there is slight discomfort. They never seem to question why they are in this discomfort, if they really need the pills and if there is a better way to solve the discomfort or a way to prevent it in the first place.
I have tried taking vitamin I before races once or twice, but I’ve never been able to tell the difference, so I gave it up (racing hurts - get used to it).
As for coffee, I make myself a cappucino each morning (5-6 days a week) but I give up all caffeine 2-3 days before racing as I have found that I feel like death after racing if I do not, and I have had it negatively affect my racing as well (it seems my stomach does not tolerate caffeine combined with racing). I will dring coffee before (and during) long rides. I’ve never had any of the above adverse affects from this - seems to only happen when I’m racing.
mp
i start my morning by washing down 2 celebrex 100mg, 1 bextra 10mg and 1000mg of naproxen all with a rather small drop of coffee in my grande carmel whip cream mint choclate chip smoothie made with soy.
Actually I only take them when I twist something, break something, have some sort of morning soreness that lingers from my 19 broken bones, or have pain in the joints rather than muscular soreness after hard workouts. If needed I pop 660mg of Naproysn QD. If I have celebrex or bextra around I take that. 3-5 times per month.
I may be in the minority on this one but I take 2-3 Advil around the 8 mile mark of the run in my IM races - works for me.
Ahhh, see my last post in the “Molina” thread.
I use Advil a couple of times a month for bad headaches. Never for training aches and pains. If I’m hurting so bad from training that it’s affecting my training, then I take a day off. I have no problem with that at all.
I also have 2 - 3 cups of coffee every day. Also, no guilt associated with that. I enjoy coffee and nothing I have read has convinced me that it’s so bad for me that I need to give it up.
Dawn
Yes, I used them when I was training hard in years past. When I would get a minor ache/pain from over use and it felt like it was something that with, rest, ice and some anti-inflamtories, that with in a few days I could recover from and get back at it, I would use them. If this self treatment did not work than I would seek out a consult with my sports Doc. I never used them in the context of taking them as a prophylaxis - to help ward off pain during hard work-outs or multiple days of hard training.
As an aside - these days a train very little. However, I now depend on anti-inflamitories and minor pain-killers just to get through some bad days of a “normal” existance( office/career work, family responsibilities etc . .) I have a herniated disc in my lower back that gives me just about constant pain, but some days it is really bad. The drugs help me get through the worst of it and still get done the things that need to get done, hopefully with smile on my face. Life goes on!
Hi paul –
As part of my nutritional plan I use a couple of things that help with inflammation. I supplement Omega 3s in the form of EPA and DHA. EPA at 12-1800mg a day and DHA at 8-1200mg a day. These can be found at most health food stores if your nutritional plan is such that you would require supplementation.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) – like Omega 3s and 6s help to support the adrenals and the immune sytem (among other things). The adrenals help to control inflammation responses in the body. Our immune system plays a major role in recovery. If I had to choose just one supplement over all others I would choose EFAs.
I also recommend to my patients (and use myself) glucosamine sulfate. It is a natural anti-inflammatory and out performs ibuprofen and naproxen over long periods of time. Those drugs lose some of their efficacy after 3-4 weeks, where GS actually gets more effective over long term usage. It also is the only thing I know of that literally rebuilds the articular surfaces of cartilage and bone. So while reducing inflammation it will relieve and in some cases reverse the degenerative changes that come about in our sport from the wear and tear of osteoarthritis. Use 1500mg/day, everyday.
I know of no adverse effects on the kidneys from these two natural nutritional supplements.
Hope this helps,
kp
I guess I’m lucky, because I buy the smallest bottle of Advil I can find and usually reach the expiration date before running out. I do take Glucosomine/MSM daily and I do beleive it has a benefit. I’m 35 and run 25 to 30 miles per week and have no issues with my knees. My old man takes it too, he’s 73, had a hip replacement a year or two ago and was back on his feet walking, no walker, no cane, within seven days. His ortho was shocked and said he had never seen anybody recover from a hip replacement that fast. He also mows the lawn, gets up on the roof to clean gutters, runs his own business and volunteers for the Red Cross and several other organizations. So, I guess I just inhereted good genes.
Brett
I take ibuprofen or naproxen sodium or aspirin, but only when recovering from injury. I have a chronic calf muscle tear which flares up every once in a while, so I’ll take the NSAIDs at dinner, when the pain shows up after a workout. It seems to help.
About once or twice a month on average. Usually my bottles of pills will expire before I finish them.
I’d never take painkillers of any kind during a race. Pain is information, and I want to know what’s happening to my body. Blocking out that information, quite apart from any other side effects of the drugs, is mere foolishness IMO.