Can An Asprin A Day Can Be Dangerous?

Aspirin isn’t totally safe, and, for many people, the side effects far outweigh any possible benefits. One of aspirin’s primary uses has been to “thin” blood. More accurately, it inhibits blood clotting through its effects on blood platelets. Blood that’s “thinner” flows more freely. This, in turn, reduces the workload of the heart and allows blood flow to occur at lower pressures, resulting in a lower risk of stroke and heart attack. More information is beginning to emerge.

A recent critical review of 17 clinical studies found that the simple act of taking aspirin actually increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death in individuals who are aspirin-resistant. In the 2,367 individuals reviewed, 618 were found to be aspirin-resistant. Roughly 33 percent of this group experienced a stroke, heart attacks during these studies. This compares to only 15 percent of individuals who were aspirin-sensitive. If those numbers aren’t scary enough, then maybe the differences in death rates can help exemplify the problem. During the studies, 5.7 percent of the aspirin-resistant individuals died, compared to only 1.3 percent of those who were aspirin-sensitive.

From what we now understand, men are more likely to be aspirin-resistant. Individuals who are aspirin-resistant don’t seem to be helped
by the blood-thinning drug Plavix either. Somehow, the blood-clotting ability in these individuals is able to overpower the anti-clotting effects of both of these drugs, which compounds the problem and leads to a very significant increase in the risk for stroke, heart attack, and death. This information hasn’t become front page news but it should. The public, as well as most doctors, still believe that aspirin is a relatively harmless over-the-counter medication. Millions of people routinely take it on a regular basis in an attempt to prevent stroke and heart attack. Based on the picture that’s emerging, this preventive aspirin use has probably been responsible for thousands of unneeded deaths and the trigger for hundreds of thousands of heart attacks and strokes. Can you imagine the uproar that would occur if an herb or vitamin was even remotely linked to such problems? If you continue to take aspirin routinely, have your doctor test you for aspirin resistance—particularly if you have other risk factors for heart attack or stroke, such as a family history of either condition, obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure. And don’t forget you have safe, effective alternatives to aspirin. Bromelain is a long-time favorite that provides most of the cardiovascular benefits of aspirin without the side effects. It now looks like resveratrol is another.

Recently, researche has found that certain forms of dark chocolate, the darker and closer to pure cocoa the better, can provide the same blood-thinning and heart attack protection as aspirin. We’re not talking about milk chocolate, which is highly processed and laden with sugar. The flavonols in cocoa can help improve blood flow, and the amount needed isn’t that much. The Mars candy company has done extensive research into the benefits of cocoa. They now have a line of consumer products called CocoaVia that are rich in beneficial flavonols. Ideally you want a chocolate product that contains at least 60 percent cocoa solids and that has been minimally processed. “Dutch” processing removes much of the flavonol content from the cocoa powder. When you combine the problems associated with aspirin resistance with those of aspirin-induced gastrointestinal bleeding and macular degeneration, it should become apparent that asrin isn’t a drug to be taken lightly, particularly on a routine basis. Just because it’s sold over-thecounter doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone.