A new study shows that taking pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen on low-doses daily cuts the chances of developing colon cancer over time.
The research shows that the persons who took 75 to 150 mg of aspirin for 5-10 years were 25% less likely to develop the disease compared to the subjects that didn’t take the drug. Furthermore, the study authors have linked other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen to a risk reduction of colon cancer of up to 35-45%.
Experienced researched Dr. John Baron declared that in their recent findings a large number of the common drugs that we are taking on a daily basis can lead to unexpected health advantages. Notwithstanding that there might be great risks involved in practicing this, his team will continue their research and recommends patients not to take aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for this purpose without consulting their doctors beforehand.
Needless to say that a prolonged period of taking aspirin can cause serious side effects. The common side-effects of taking aspirin for long periods of time include gastrointestinal bleeding and a boosted risk of heart attacks.
The drugs were also tested in higher doses and in an irregular pattern, cases in which they didn’t indicate any other benefits than their usual. Taking a single dose of painkillers every now and then will not prevent the development of cancer.
The research studied the medical records of more than 10,000 bowel cancer sufferers from all over the world. Their papers contained important data on painkiller and aspirin use. When the statistics of the colon cancer patients were compared to those of the healthy ones, the researchers have arrived to the conclusion that those who took aspirin and NSAIDs have a significantly reduced risk of developing cancer.
Other NSAIDs that were tested include Motrin and Celebrex, which had similar effects to the aspirin. The most notable benefits came with Celebrex, but it was also the drug with the highest number of adverse effects, the researchers said.
