Ibuprofen’s dangerous effects on men

A new study raises a huge red flag concerning ibuprofen use in men. And these are warnings that all men need to hear — especially older men…

Ironically, these newly discovered risks didn’t actually start with men at all, but with a 2017 clinical trial involving pregnant women. In this trial, researchers found that if moms-to-be take any of three common pain relievers — ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen — during the first trimester, it may corrupt development of testicles in male babies.

The conclusion is that these “safe” over-the-counter pain killers can cause “anti-androgenic effects,” disrupting male hormones and increasing the risk of boys being born with congenital malformations.

That’s alarm number one. And if it ended there, that would be bad enough. But researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital wondered if painkiller use might have a similar effect on male adults.

Of the three common pain meds in the earlier study, the Copenhagen team focused on ibuprofen alone because it was linked to the strongest effects in that study. It’s also widely used on a regular basis among arthritis patients.

Researchers recruited 31 men who were aged 18 to 35. About half were given a daily ibuprofen dose of 600 mg, twice each day for 14 days. The other half followed the same regimen with a placebo.

Results revealed that within just two weeks, the men in the ibuprofen group developed a hormonal imbalance that caused “compensated hypogonadism” — a condition where the body fails to produce enough testosterone, ultimately impairing fertility.

This result set off a flurry of headlines like this one from CNN: “Ibuprofen linked to male infertility, study says.” Many other mainstream and medical news outlets followed suit, emphasizing the potential for ibuprofen to put a block on a young man’s ability to procreate.

No doubt, that’s a powerful issue for men who wish to start families. But what about the older guys who are far past their fertility prime and are just fine with that? If they take ibuprofen on a regular basis, are they free and clear of risks from compensated hypogonadism?

Absolutely not.

You see, there was one very  important sentence buried in the middle of the CNN write up: “This hormonal imbalance produced compensated hypogonadism, a condition associated with impaired fertility, depression, and increased risk for cardiovascular events, including heart failure and stroke.

These other very serious health dangers are mentioned as if they’re minor side effects. True — impaired fertility is indeed a significant health issue, but unlike heart failure and stroke, it won’t end your life!

But unfortunately, the dangers don’t stop there…

In a 2013 study, researchers compared 250 men who had compensated hypogonadism with the same number of men who had normal hormone levels. All the participants were over 70 years old.

The results: Men with compensated hypogonadism had “worse functionality, cognitive function, nutritional status, and mood compared with healthy controls.”

Ibuprofen is a potentially dangerous drug. Period. Sure, it can be useful, but it’s simply too dangerous when taken to excess — and in this case, taking it on a regular basis at recommended doses equals excess.

If you’re dealing with a chronic pain issue like arthritis, there are much better, drug-free ways to relieve your pain. For instance, consider tackling these problems at their source by reducing inflammation and nourishing your body — this can be done simply with the proper diet and supplementation.

For more information on natural techniques to reduce pain, check out Dr. Marc Micozzi’s Arthritis Relief & Repair Protocol. To learn more about it or to enroll today, click here.

 

SOURCES

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/08/health/ibuprofen-male-fertility-study/index.html
Ibuprofen linked to male infertility, study says
CNN
January 9, 2018

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525861013001205
Functional and Nutritional State in Elderly Men With Compensated Hypogonadism
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
June 2013