CrossFit East Bay Rest Day 090922
CrossKitchen: Just say no to NSAIDS

Thanks to a particularly extreme workout on Wednesday, many of us have experienced a inordinate amount of discomfort this week.  Hell, it's MONDAY and I'm still having difficulty standing up.  I've already made a post about ways to combat DOMS, but there's one point in there I'd like to elaborate a bit more about.  You're not going to like it.  Sorry.

All that Naproxen (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Advil), Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Aspirin you've been popping like M&M's?  They're bad for you, and I want you to avoid taking them if possible.

Those drugs are the most popular forms of NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).  Which, according to Wikipedia, are:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually abbreviated to NSAIDs or NAIDs, are drugs with analgesic, antipyretic (lowering an elevated body temperature and relieving pain without impairing consciousness) and, in higher doses, with anti-inflammatory effects (reducing inflammation).

Why are they bad for you?  Here's two major reasons:

Exhibit #1:  Dementia.

NSAIDs may increase your risk of dementia.  In a large-scale study of the elderly published in Neurology, scientists followed 2,736 people over 12 years.  Of the participants, those who regularly or heavily used NSAIDS were 66% more likely to develop dementia.  Granted, this was a study of the elderly, for whom Alzheimer's disease is a far more pressing threat than for the typical CrossFit athlete - but I need all the help I can get in keeping my brain sharp.

Exhibit #2:  They inhibit protein synthesis.

A study of 24 young, able-bodied men broke the group into three groups, one of which took the maximum dosage of Ibuprofen, another of Acetaminophen, and a third a placebo before performing heavy eccentric movements designed to induce muscle soreness.  Both the NSAID groups showed diminished protein synthesis afterwards compared to the placebo. 

Note that it said "diminished," not "none."  You can still gain muscle while taking pain pills, just not as much.  Which leads me to my ultimate point:

Moderation

Like with just about everything, occasional use of NSAIDs is fine - even beneficial in some cases.  It's just chronic use that can be problematic.  If you're in so much pain from DOMS that you cannot function normally in your life or job, then for God's sake take an Aleve.  Overdoing it, as many of us did this week, is an inevitable part of training and teaches valuable lessons.  Just save the big guns for the special occasions, and rely on the homebrew alternatives the rest of the time.