New research on NSAID's and inflammation

[Elizka]

From Rhonda Patrick, PHD.

Can chronic use of anti-inflammatory agents paradoxically promote chronic inflammation through compensatory host response? foundmyfitness.com

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/159...

From her newsletter:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are among the most widely used drugs worldwide, available in both prescription and over-the-counter forms, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and others. Despite the drugs' anti-inflammatory effects, their chronic use is associated with a higher risk of acute thrombotic (clot-related) cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, or deep-vein thrombosis. Authors of a 2005 article posited that NSAIDs induce a rebound effect that promotes inflammation, driving the formation of blood clots and predisposing a person to acute thrombotic cardiovascular events.  Inflammation is a protective response that involves immune cells, cell-signaling proteins, and pro-inflammatory factors. It plays a key role in the development of many chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Inflammation initiates the clotting process and impairs the activity of natural anti-clotting mechanisms.  Most NSAIDs, with the exception of aspirin, dampen inflammation via the inhibition of cyclooxygenases, a family of pro-inflammatory enzymes. However, evidence from animal studies suggests that when these enzymes are inhibited, the body responds by producing more of the enzymes. The authors posited that by turning off the body’s natural inflammatory processes, NSAIDs might drive a compensatory response – ramping up the activity of pro-inflammatory pathways. 

[EPguy]

Unfortunately the full report is not available. One thing many of us would like to see is whether the anti inflam supplements many of us take have similar results. I think NSAIDs were not originally intended to be taken for very long times, but we know they can be.

IFN also causes a complex plus and minus effect on inflammation.

[TLJ-1]

I was able to read the entire original paper, although it was written 17 years ago. The authors write in the journal Medical Hypotheses, appropriately since what they write is an interesting hypothesis that a rebound effect from taking NSAIDS promotes inflammation and the consequent ill effects of that. However, they did not themselves follow up with any real-world research to ascertain if that really happens. In a brief literature search (certainly not thorough), I could not find that anyone else had shown experimentally that such an effect occurs either. So ... after such a long time from presenting the idea without any evidence of an NSAID-induced inflammation, once must consider the notion skeptically.