The dangers of aspirin

Aspirin’s slippery slope

Aspirin was one of the few drugs that was “grandfathered in” when the FDA was founded in 1930. They assumed that since it had been around so long (it was officially released in 1899) that it must be safe. But I have always firmly believed that if aspirin were a new drug, it would never pass the rigorous testing required for approval. And the latest news has only made me even more convinced that my theory is true.

According to a study released a few months ago in the European Heart Journal, Dutch researchers found that there are very few women who will actually benefit from taking aspirin–and the side effects can be potentially deadly. In fact, they found that the risk of bleeding associated with aspirin use is far greater than the potential life-saving effects.

This is exactly why I never recommend aspirin for my patients.

Have you ever cut yourself shaving when you were taking aspirin? Or cut a gum flossing while on aspirin? It takes forever to stop bleeding. Well, imagine if you had an ulcer in your stomach that started to bleed. Imagine if you fell, or were in a car accident. If you’re on aspirin, the result could be far more tragic than it might ordinarily be.

I have seen this supposedly “safe” over-the-counter medication cause bleeding ulcers and hemorrhages in patients that normally would have had no risk for such things.

But the risks go beyond the obvious, “immediate” dangers…

One of the blood tests that I run in all of my patients is the fibrinogen level. It’s an indicator of how thick your blood is. Higher levels equal higher heart attack and stroke risk. And in my experience, people who are on blood thinners such as aspirin or Coumadin always have higher fibrinogen levels than those who aren’t.

I do think that people should always carry one or two aspirin around with them, just in case they experience chest pains or other signs of heart attack, because, in that instance, aspirin can be life-saving.

But other than that one instance, aspirin is best avoided at all costs.

Especially since there are so many nutritional supplements that help keep your blood cells “slippery” and flowing through your veins and arteries with ease.

There’s just no need for aspirin when you’ve got things like pine bark extract, nattokinase, and vitamin E (just to name a few).

These natural alternatives will keep you safe and healthy.