My husband went for routine blood work this past week and his doctor asked him some pretty standard questions. Among them was, “Are you taking an aspirin every day?” He has blood pressure and cholesterol issues but long ago when it was suggested he take an aspirin a day, we decided (ok, I decided) he would take omega-3 supplements instead.
In working with one of my clients, she indicated that she had no heart problems but was taking aspirin daily per her doctor’s orders. I questioned why and suggested that she ask if she could replace it with an omega-3 supplement and explained some of the drawbacks, such as:
aspirin provided no protection from heart attack;
slightly reduced risk of ischemic stroke;
40% increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding severe enough to require transfusions;
contributing factor to GI conditions such as bleeding and ulcers, as well as kidney impairment and increased risk of hypertension in women;
can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer according to research done in 2004;
And now, according to two studies, there’s strong evidence that regular use of aspirin doubles the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the leading cause of blindness among senior citizens.
She shared the info with her physician who said, she wasn’t aware of that and only prescribed it as a “preventative measure” so it was fine for her to switch to Omega-3’s. Obviously my husband told his doctor he wasn’t planning to make that change.
Have you been told to begin a daily aspirin regimen? Were you aware of the dangers?
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3-D Vitality 
Ann,
I had to take aspirin for just a few days when I had a root canal and it made my stomach hurt terribly, so I can’t imagine taking it everyday. Another great natural supplement for heart issues is cayenne. It’s also good for healing ulcers even though it seems like it would be terrible for ulcers.
Have a Victorious Day!
Marianne
Very true Marianne! It is awesome – in fact Dr. Christopher recommended keeping liquid cayenne handy at all times and instead of giving someone having a heart attack aspirin, he suggested sipping cayenne in a little warm water and found it prevented damage to the heart and kept circulation going as aspirin is thought to in that situation. Thanks for mentioning it!
On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 9:01 AM, 3-D Vitality
It’s amazing that even with new results being revealed from studies, doctors continue to tell patients to take one aspirin a day.
Old habits die hard.
On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 10:06 AM, 3-D Vitality
Your story sounds so familiar. My husband was discovered to have borderline high cholesterol a few years ago. It was 195 but the LDLs were higher than the HDLs so his doctor wanted to start him on Lipitor and also suggested to him that he might want to try fish oil and Borage oil along with it. Well at my insistence we did some research on the Lipitor and did not like the side effects at all. So I made a deal with my hubby that we would try just the fish oil and Borage oil for 90 days without the Lipitor and if it made a difference we would stay with the protocol. If it did not then he could choose the statin drug if he wanted to. I was against him taking Lipitor, but he is an adult and my husband so I had to step back and agree to respect his final decision should it be different than I had hoped. Ninety days later he went back to the doctor and his numbers had changed for the better. He went to 188. LDLs were still higher but even they had come down. The doctor was excited that the Lipitor had worked but when my husband told him that he had never taken the Lipitor, his doctor wisely said, “Oh well, as long as the fish and Borage oil are working for you, then keep doing what you are doing.” He is still taking a fish/Borage oil combination capsule called Mega EFA to this day and has never looked back. One interesting side effect, shortly after my husband started taking the EFAs, we got pregnant after trying unsuccessfully for 18 months. Unfortunately he is still taking the baby aspirin so maybe I will forward this post to him. Thanks another great post. Have a blessed, fulfilling, and productive week!
Thank you so much for sharing that Dr. Delain. I so relate to what you shared about having to step back and allow your husband to make his own decision – that has been difficult for me. Another supplement I found that has helped my husband with his cholesterol is Endur-Acin, a specifically formulated niacin supplement for cholesterol management. Thank you as always for taking the time to read and comment and for sharing your thoughtful comments.
On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 10:08 AM, 3-D Vitality
BTW, the fish oil also decreased his blood pressure for which he was being treated.
Incredible… It’s crazy I’ve also heard negative things about Aspirin, such as you’ll go deaf if you take it too much. I’ll stick to Fish Oils… 🙂
Good choice Rob!
On Wed, Mar 13, 2013 at 2:08 PM, 3-D Vitality
I’m always learning something new from you Ann. Thanks for this informative post!! I’m dropping the baby aspirin…
Thank you, Lynne.
On Wed, Mar 13, 2013 at 9:31 PM, 3-D Vitality
Research has shown that aspirin reduces the risk of death by 23% if administered when a heart attack is suspected and for 30 days thereafter. Aspirin helps by inhibiting platelets, making them less likely to clot. Aspirin is the recommended first line drug if you suspect someone is having a heart attack. A large number of heart attacks occur when a plaque inside an artery ruptures, the aspirin helps to prevent a clot from forming and closing off the vessel causing a “heart attack”. So in deciding if aspirin should be part of a person’s medication routine, the risk of heart attack needs to be assessed. Has this person already had a heart attack? If so it is standard to add aspirin to the medication routine, as they are high risk for another heart event, as we do not cure heart disease, just manage it. If there is a family history of heart disease occurring young, or a combination of multiple risk factors it may be prescribed as well.
I believe each person has to decide for themselves personally if the benefits outweigh the risks. It’s important to consider all the options.
I remember reading in a “Zone” book years ago about the effects of aspirin on heart health, but that it was also a danger as well and specifically recommended fish oil. Fish oil seems to be a magic elixir for so many things! I know some of the older folks in my family swear by the aspirin a day though. I haven’t bought a bottle of aspirin in years.
It’s definitely difficult for some people, particularly older ones to change sometimes.
On Tue, Mar 26, 2013 at 7:03 AM, 3-D Vitality