More Effective Than Aspirin?

Aspirin has been used as a way to reduce inflammation that could be associated with inflammatory processes.

In fact, prescription aspirin has been used to treat symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus, and other rheumatologic conditions.

Non-prescription aspirin has been used to treat and reduce fever, relieve mild to moderate pain, and to prevent heart attacks in people who have already had a heart attack.

As beneficial as aspirin is to treating common and uncommon processes, aspirin, like any other medication, comes with side effects.

Due to the severity of some of the side effects, people sometimes look to alternative medicines that may mimic the effects of aspirin.

Now, there is emerging evidence that shows that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA may mimic the action of aspirin.

In fact, a new study published in the World Journal of Cardiovascular Disease, shows that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, with or without aspirin, may regulate inflammation and angiogenesis better than using aspirin alone.

Let me explain…

Omega-3 and Aspirin

The same authors of this study have shown in previous research that the combination of aspirin, DHA, and EPA synergistically halted platelet formation.

They also noted that both EPA and DHA could hold anti-inflammatory properties in your body.

From their original study, they hypothesized that EPA and DHA, with or without aspirin, may reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenesis factors better than aspirin alone.

The researchers wanted to study the effects of a single dose of aspirin (650 mg dose on day one), EPA and DHA (3.4 g/day on day 2-day 29), and the combination of aspirin, DHA, and EPA (day 30) on both pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and angiogenesis factor levels in healthy adults.

The researchers noted that using aspirin alone had very little effect on reducing any of the inflammatory factors they were testing for.

However, they did show that EPA and DHA, with and without aspirin being present, showed better ability to lower the concentration of eight out of the nine inflammatory factors.

Also, they showed that aspirin alone, or aspirin in combination with EPA and DHA, was as effective as EPA and DHA alone at reducing inflammatory markers.

From their results, they concluded that EPA and DHA could have more effects at decreasing inflammation and angiogenesis than aspirin alone.  However, they also mentioned that including a combined therapy (aspirins, DHA, and EPA) for cardiovascular disease, the methods still need to be clarified.

Simply stated, although this research is promising and shows a new avenue for the use of EPA and DHA, the research still needs to be clarified before this combination of treatment options could be considered viable for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

More Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Since its introduction into the medicine cabinet, aspirin in both prescription and non-prescription forms has been used to treat a variety of symptoms.

From the treatment of mild to moderate pain (headaches and cramps), fevers, and the treatment of more serious conditions (rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), aspirin has been a staple in the medical community for years.

In fact, aspirin has also been shown to reduce heart attack risk for people who have had a previous heart attack, as well as reduce stroke
risk in at risk populations.

This makes aspirin a widely used medication to manage symptoms associated with heart disease.

Now, however, this study shows that the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA may be more effective at reducing inflammatory cytokines and other factors associated with inflammation.

By including more omega-3 fatty acids into your day, you could reduce inflammation levels, which may reduce your risk for a number of different health ailments, including heart disease.


NEXT:  An Easy Way To Include Omega-3 Fatty Acids >>




References:

Block, RC.  Dier, U.  Calderonartero, P.  Shearer, GC.  Kakinami, L.  Larson, MK.  Harris, WS.  Georas, S.  Mousa, SA.  The Effects of EPA+DHA and Aspirin on Inflammatory Cytokines and Andgiogenesis Factors.  World J Cardiovasc Dis.  2012.  Vol. 2(1):pp. 14-19.