In one of the largest research studies to date, Boston University School of Medicine evaluated data from nearly 250,000 US veterans, and determined that those who used the painkiller ibuprofen for more than five years reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by an impressive 40%.
The new study, which was reported in “Neurology,” suggest that other painkillers also have a positive effect, and can reduce the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s. But while several of the anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) were shown to help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, ibuprofen showed the most significant positive results.
The study examined five years worth of data on nearly a quarter of a million veterans over the age of 55. Approximately 50,000 of the veterans had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s– the other 200,000 served as a large control group.
The study found that using any NSAID pain reliever for a period of five years or more was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s — specifically, the risk was reduced by 24%. However, the veterans who used ibuprofen specifically for five years or more were 40% less likely to develop the disease.
While the evidence that ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s is intriguing, experts warn that individuals should not begin taking ibuprofen preemptively against Alzheimer’s and dementia — at least not just yet. The long-term use of ibuprofen (and similar anti-inflammatory medications) can result in a number of side effects. It is clear that the benefits and risks of taking ibuprofen will have to be weighed carefully before doctors can recommend using the drug proactively against dementia.
Other research has shown that animals given ibuprofen over a long period of time have less of the common Alzheimer’s protein deposits in the brain. Several other smaller studies have suggested that anti-inflammatory painkillers can reduce the risk of dementia, but the new Boston University veterans research is the largest single study to show a positive correlation between ibuprofen and the reduced risk of Alzheimer’s.
Large studies like this tend to attract a great deal of interest from the medical and scientific communities. New research is already underway to attempt to replicate the results of the Boston study, and help determine the risk-benefit ratio of using ibuprofen proactively against dementia.
For the time being, researchers agree that more studies are necessary before doctors can safely prescribe ibuprofen or other NSAID drugs proactively. But for the time being, there is at least reason to be optimistic.
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