Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Risks of Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and NSAID's

Risks of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID’s)

After taking Ibroprofen for 6 months…
Persons have Three Times the risk of dying from stroke, heart attack, or other heart related problems (Marilynn Marchione, Associated Press, 4/19/2005)

1 aspirin per day therapy carries with it a 40% increased risk of stroke!
Taking 1 Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra carries with it a 500 % increased risk of stroke!

1 in 10,000 people will die from taking Tylenol, even at lower doses…
Tylenol is the most common cause of liver failure in the United States

After 5 years on Ibuprofen ….
-Women are 50 % more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer
-Women are 80 % more likely to develop breast tumors which are not

sensitive to hormones estrogen or progesterone (Rita Rubin, USA Today, 6/1/2005)

The New England Journal of Medicine stated…
The lifetime total amount tolerated before end stage renal or liver failure
(A) Tylenol = 1000 (at 1/day, for 365 days, reach this after 3 yrs)*
(B) Ibuprofen = 5000 (at 1/day, reach this in about 13 years)*
* note, multiple tablets per day cuts the above numbers in ½, 1/3, etc.
(C) The most common cause of liver failure in the U.S. is Tylenol
(D) One of the most dangerous pain medications is Vicodin = Tylenol w/Codeine … “by the time you handle the addiction you are often far along into end stage liver disease”.

A nationwide case-control study from Finland of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID’s) - European Heart Journal, May 26, 2006

In the largest population-based observational study thus far on the cardiovascular risk associated with NSAIDs, in users of both COX-2 Inhibitors (Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra) and conventional NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen (aleve), clinoril, voltaren, etc.) the results showed”…

“None of the above anti-inflammatory drugs were found to have a protective effect against myocardial infarction among current users. Instead, the increased risk for myocardial infarction with NSAID users was between 35% - 50%.”

In the users of conventional NSAIDs, the increased risk for myocardial
infarction was “elevated regardless of the length of use.” (even for 1 day’s use)

“The risk of serious upper gastrointestinal events [bleeding] is 200 – 500%
greater in users of NSAIDs compared to non-users. 16,500 Americans die each year from bleeding ulcers related to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxyn.”

A Harvard Medical School Study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, February 2007;167:394-399, found that NSAID usage also lead to increased risk of high blood pressure in men they studied. Taking …

-Tylenol 6-7 pills/week increased the risk of hypertension by 34%
-Aspirin 6-7 pills/week increased the risk of hypertension by 26%
-Other NSAIDs 6-7 pills/week increased the risk of hypertension by 38%
-Tylenol or Aspirin 7-15 pills/week raised the risks to 52% and 32%,
respectively

Is it Safe to Eat Seafood? Mercury and PCB's vs Omega 3's

Is it Safe to Eat Seafood? Weighing Mecury and PCB Contamination Against the Benefits of Omega 3 fats.

Edited by Michael B. Ackerman, D.C La Jolla, CA www.DepthHealing.com


Mercury

Levels of pollutants, such as mercury, tend to be higher in long-lived, larger fish, particularly shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. These fish tend to average about 1,000 ppb (parts per billion) of mercury — the FDA limit for human consumption — while most other fish tend to have about one-tenth to one-third of this amount. Eating a fish with 1,000 ppb of mercury is not necessarily toxic, but it should not be consumed more than once per month and definitely not by young children and pregnant or nursing women. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also advised that fresh-water fish may contain more mercury than commercially caught fish and advises that "If you are pregnant or could become pregnant, are nursing a baby, or feeding a young child, limit consumption of fish caught by family and friends to one meal (about 6 ounces) of fish per week." The same limit is recommended for albacore ("white") tuna, as it may occasionally contain excessive levels of mercury.

Follow this link to see a recent article in USA Today about the 11 best fish to consume based upon their low level of contaminants and their higher levels of heart healthy Omega 3 fats… http://www.usnews.com/listings/best-fish/11-best-fish-high-in-omega3-and-environment-friendly


Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCB’s)


Farmed salmon has higher levels of PCB’s (25-50 ppb) and usually a lack of proper fatty acids, as compared to wild ocean salmon with (.5-5 ppb) PCB’s and a good balance of EPA/DHA fatty acids.

High PCB levels have also been found in…

Pork 18 ppb
Beef 22
Chicken 32
Butter 70
Sardines 57
Skip Jack Tuna 45
White Albacore Tuna 100

(The FDA considers levels of 2000 ppb of PCB’s to be unsafe)


If the diet of a group of 100,000 people were to be adjusted to include 1000 mg of EPA/DHA daily from ‘farmed’ salmon over a typical 70 year lifetime, the increased risk of cancer in this group from consumed PCB’s would result in approximately 16 more people dying of cancer (24 people total) than would otherwise be expected if they had consumed a “Standard American Diet”. However, there would be 7,100 fewer deaths due to heart disease if these people added this amount of fish to their diets!

So a population consuming a typical “Standard American Diet” with the usual proportions of “bad” fats and partially hydrogenated oils from processed, fried and fast foods, that is higher in meat and land animal consumption, have a much greater likelihood of experiencing long-term health problems -- resulting in 7,100 more deaths/ 100,000 individuals. Whereas a population consuming high omega 3 seafoods in their diet, even when it is farmed and contains somewhat higher levels of PCB’s, end up having only 16 more deaths/ 100,000 individuals.

So… we can see by “doing the math” that adding fish regularly to our diet is still overwhelmingly a very good idea!