Daily Aspirin – Does It Really Keep the Doctor Away?Taking a daily aspirin had been touted as a preventative measure against heart attack and some forms of Cancer. Your doctor may have told you that taking a low dose baby aspirin everyday could prolong your life! Aspirin has received so much publicity over the last hundred years, that most people assume it’s harmless. Universal acceptance by the government and medical community doesn’t necessarily mean it’s harmless though.
The Origins of AspirinIn 2004, 40 million pounds of aspirin (200 tabs for every man, woman, and child) were produced in the US alone. Aspirin has been blindly accepted, despite the risks involved with taking it. Aspirin has been around since 400 BC Hippocrates reportedly prescribed the bark and leaves of the willow tree for pain and fevers. The Romans also utilized the natural plant remedy. In early 1800, a German chemist created salicylic acid from the natural compound Salicin, and in 1897, a Bayer chemist synthesized a stable form of acetylsalicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin. The product launched in 1899 and quickly became the worlds #1 selling drug. In 1915, there was a push to sell it over the counter. (OTC without a prescription) As an interesting side note, Bayer also had some success with another prescription drug, called Heroin! The company lost control of both trademarks as part of the settlements after WWI. The synthetic active compound found in aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid, is NOT the same compound found in white willow bark Long term routine daily aspirin use may lower the risk of second heart attacks or strokes caused by blockages, but it doesn’t appear to reduce the risk of dying from these problems. It may reduce non-fatal heart attacks, but not fatal heart attacks. Also, the benefits of taking daily aspirin for men are far greater than the benefits for women. Those benefits for men appear to be limited to men with previous heart problems who have low or normal blood pressure, not high blood pressure. Those with high blood pressure do not experience the benefits and they also have a higher incidence of serious bleeding problems. Despite this, it is estimated that over 30 million people in the US are now taking a low dose daily aspirin in an effort to prevent heart attacks and about 80 billion aspirin tablets are taken every year. The FDA has also given Bayer permission to advertise that aspirin may be effective in reducing the risk of heart attack. The keyword here is ‘may’. Seems like a slippery slope and the public must listen carefully to every word! Its clear that the pharmaceutical industry wants to sell you drugs! Taking daily aspirin may do you more harm than good though! Risks Associated With Daily AspirinPancreatic Cancer Numerous problems are associated with long term daily aspirin use. Two of the most publicized risks are gastrointestinal bleeding and stroke. Many authorities feel that the risk of these and other problems have been grossly understated. The anti-inflammatory benefits of taking a daily aspirin, has been shown to reduce the incidence of certain cancers, but recently aspirin was linked to pancreatic cancer. In a long running US study, the health habits of 88, 378 female nurses were documented since 1980. An epidemiologist with Harvard Medical School analyzed the use of daily aspirin and the incidence of pancreatic cancer among these women. At the start of the study, all nurses were cancer free but by 1998, 161 of these women had developed pancreatic cancer. Those who were taking two or more daily aspirin weekly for 20 years, increased their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 58%, compared to those not taking it. Women who took 14 or more tabs per week had an increased risk of 86%. Bayer called these findings inconclusive. Others have called for additional studies but are holding fast that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Consider that pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of death in the US with the lowest survival rates of all forms of major Cancers. A five year survival rate is only 5%. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 30,700 individuals will develop the cancer this year and of those 30,000 will die from the disease. Anyone who takes daily aspirin should at least be aware of these findings. Other Risks
Symptoms can include upper airway congestion, lower airway inflammation, runny nose, and skin eruptions. Nasal polyps may also develop over time. As many as 50% of those who have aspirin induced asthma, have chronic, severe, corticosteroid-dependent Asthma. Facial swelling is also a symptom of this type of asthma. If you suffer from asthma, simply eliminating products that contain aspirin or other NSAIDS is an easy way to find out if these drugs are your triggers. There are numerous reports of those using NSAIDS in an attempt to prevent hangovers, who end up with liver failure. Even more prevalent, yet less publicized, are cases where liver enzyme tests are elevated in seemingly healthy people. Diagnosing the problem can be perplexing. Many times patients are put through rigorous testing to rule out hepatitis, alcoholism, gallbladder problems, fatty liver, and other causes. Often enough, it’s discovered that the elevated enzymes are the result of using long term NSAIDS or daily aspirin. As widespread as regular aspirin use has become, it would be impossible to determine just how many gastrointestinal problems, ulcerations, anemia's, and abnormal blood counts are related to it’s use. Daily aspirin can also cause ringing in the ears, hearing loss, allergic reactions, vomiting, diarrhea, vertigo, and hallucinations. There are some good uses for aspirin however. Applied topically, it’s a great way to remove warts, and turn back the clock. It also can be used as an effective pain reliever, but should not be used long term. People have forgotten that aspirin is a poison. Ingesting between 10 – 30 grams of aspirin can be fatal. Accurate reporting procedures aren’t in place so no exact number is known, but the figures range from around 8,000 – 14,000 deaths a year and growing. How many additional deaths and disabilities are caused indirectly from daily aspirin use are not known, such as severe gastrointestinal bleeding or stroke. The FDA has shown little, if any interest in pursuing it. Related Pages Omega 3 Oils – To Improve Your Health Benefits of Natural Salicylic Acid in Foods Have a Heart – A Healthy Heart! Reduce the Risk of Cancer through Nutrition Related Products
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, which is salicin. Salicin provides many of the same analgesic and anti-inflammatory benefits that aspirin does, but it does so without producing bleeding or other side effects associated with aspirin. The primary benefit attributed to routine daily aspirin, has been the prevention of heart attack. The secondary claims are that it can also help prevent some types of Cancer. 
