Here’s something you probably never thought about whenever you’ve taken a paracetamol (acetaminophen) to ease off a headache or to bring down a slight fever… After all, it’s one of the most used and most trusted painkillers on the market…
Acetaminophen could possibly cause Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Think twice before you swallow
Acetaminophen was first introduced in the 1880s along with a similar drug called phenacetin. Both were used extensively during the 1889 flu pandemic, but because phenacetin was much more toxic to the kidneys than acetaminophen, acetaminophen became the painkiller of choice… even though it still held a risk of liver and kidney damage with an overdose.
Ten years later, and the first AD cases were diagnosed… Now, this may be a pure coincidence, but towards the end of the 20th century, researchers began to notice an apparent reduced risk of AD among arthritis patients.
Eventually, they understood that excessive free radical activity causes inflammation that destroys brain neurons — and, of course, that inflammation is curbed in arthritis patients who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) daily… However, they also discovered a marked INCREASE in AD risk among people who frequently used acetaminophen for two years or more.
This is due to the fact that acetaminophen decreased levels of an important brain antioxidant. Once this antioxidant is depleted, free radical activity increases and sets off damaging inflammation.
That was then…
While previous studies suggested that the regular use of NSAID drugs — ibuprofen, naproxen and others — might prevent or slow AD due to their potent anti-inflammatory properties, the latest research suggests the complete opposite…
US researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, followed 2,736 dementia-free patients age 65 and older for up to 12 years, during which time 476 developed dementia.
Those who were “heavy” NSAID users (the equivalent of approximately six Advil per day) were 66 per cent more likely to develop dementia, and 57 per cent more likely to develop AD in particular.
So, rather than helping to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s, as previously thought, NSAIDs may actually significantly increase your risk of developing it… just like acetaminophen.
That sort of leaves many arthritis sufferers between a rock and a hard place… having to choose between easing your pain or damaging your brain… Luckily, there is a natural and much safer alternative to help curb inflammation: Omega-3 fatty acids.