Can Ibuprofen Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk?
Can Ibuprofen Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk? — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)
I guess most of us either know or have known someone with Alzheimer’s, maybe that person was even a relative. Like many other diseases, Alzheimer’s is thought to run in families. That is why when I read that there was a new study linking the long-term use of ibuprofen to a decrease in risk for Alzheimer’s, I had to learn more.
Don’t go out and buy a bottle of Motrin just yet. Although this study seems promising, there is no recommendations that anyone should take ibuprofen for the purpose of preventing Alzheimer’s. Much more needs to be studied in order to determine whether the benefits of ibuprofen outweigh the risk of long-term use.
From WebMD…
The long-term use of ibuprofen and possibly other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, but it is still not clear if the risks outweigh the potential benefits.
Use of ibuprofen pain relievers like Advil and Motrin for more than five years reduced Alzheimer’s risk by 44% in a study reported in the May issue of Neurology.
Long-term users of several other types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also had a lower than expected risk of Alzheimer’s.
Ibuprofen users seemed to derive the most protection after five years of use, but researcher Steven C. Vlad, MD, of Boston University School of Medicine, says it is far too soon to recommend the use of this or any other NSAID to lower Alzheimer’s risk.
“I would not advise patients to start taking an NSAID to prevent Alzheimer’s,” Vlad tells WebMD. “There are too many known risks associated with this class of medications, and we would need a lot more research to figure out the risk-benefit ratio.”
In researching this ibuprofen study, I came across another recent study. This study seems to link Diabetes to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s.
From A Weight Lifted: Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Linked
Did you know that people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a 30 to 65 percent greater risk for Alzheimer’s? Until now, researchers have been mystified as to the reason behind the link, but a recent study (published in the current online issue of Neurobiology of Aging by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies) has pinpointed the molecular connection.
Here are some more Alzheimer’s related blogs…
Rust-Tex: Help End Alzheimer’s Disease
This quilt is up for auction now through May 10 to raise money for the the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI), which is an Internet-driven, grassroots, totally volunteer effort to raise awareness and fund research through art. Ami Simms founded the AAQI in January 2006 because her mother has Alzheimer’s disease. All profit is donated to Alzheimer’s research.
My quilt uses rust dyed fabric, seed beads, plastic beads, metal leaves, cotton boucle. It is machine pieced, machine quilted, couched, and free motion machine embroidered. The cat is made of ultra suede and colored with water soluble colored pencils. The entire piece is 8.875″ x 8.875″.
Mine is not the only one up for auction. You can see them all here. Your generous bid is appreciated by the artists who made these beautiful quilts and by everyone struggling to end this disease.
From ask allison: the middle-aged woman’s go to girl: Alzheimer’s and Caregiving
One of my fellow mid-life lady bloggers, Karen over at Mid-life’s a Trip, has some excellent blog posts related to caregiving and Alzheimer’s. As caregiver to her mother who has Alzheimer’s, and dear friend to a 50 something woman with the disease, she holds the subject close to her heart.
A great informational resource as Karen points out is a recent article in the NY Times. This excellent guide provides information on causes, treatments, exams and tests, and more.
I found this video on Alzheimer’s and Caregivers at Alzheimer’s Notes…
Also See:
Mondays With Mother: An Alzheimer’s Story — In 2002 my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It is a hard road, and we live it one day at a time. This is a chronicle of her disease and my Monday visits with her.
BlogHer Contributing Editor Laurie wrote - Alzheimer’s and Another Love: How Spouses Cope
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