Should you take a daily aspirin in the morning, or at night? Or how about not at all!

Is the media the most dangerous thing for your health?

It sure sounds like good advice.

Especially when it comes from Brian Williams, who may as well be straight out of central casting as an iconic, trustworthy anchorman.

In a recent newscast, Williams explained that heart attacks are more likely to happen in the morning hours. “New research,” he said, “suggests an aspirin at bedtime could most effectively cut that risk.”

I’m sure that later that very night a lot of people moved their bottles of baby aspirin from the medicine cabinet to their nightstand.

But they probably missed the most important word in Williams’ report: “suggests.”

The study “suggests.” And that’s still quite a stretch.

Because there is no evidence at all — a big, fat zero — that a nighttime aspirin has ever prevented even one morning heart attack.

Theories aren’t benefits

When you hear a positive news report about a drug — whether it’s OTC or prescription — you should imagine that the head of the drug maker’s marketing department is the person presenting it. Because that’s what’s happening.

Most reporters just reword press releases. They rarely question the details.

And that includes something generic like aspirin too. Believe me, aspirin is a multi-billion dollar business. That’s why they generate these “good news” aspirin studies every now and then.

But with this study, it’s as flimsy as the paper the press releases are printed on.

We know that heart attacks and stroke occur more often in the morning than other times of the day. But researchers don’t know why. They think it’s because there’s more blood platelet activity in the morning.

But that’s just a theory.

In this study, researchers found that an aspirin before bedtime reduced morning platelet activity better than an aspirin in the morning. So again — in THEORY — this should help prevent morning heart attacks.

That means that the results of the study are based on TWO theories. There was no evidence at all that taking a bedtime aspirin would actually cut the number of morning heart attacks and strokes.

And yet, here’s the HealthDay headline: “Daily Aspirin Should be Taken at Bedtime.”

That’s so irresponsible! For all we know, the body actually NEEDS that morning platelet activity. Personally, I would assume our Creator knew more about how to protect our hearts than the VP of Marketing at Bayer.

Sources:
“Daily Aspirin Should Be Taken at Bedtime: Study” HealthDay, 11/19/13, newsmaxhealth.com