A daily ibuprofen to prevent Alzheimer’s is a very bad idea

Prevent Alzheimer’s with a pain pill? Not so fast!

Looking for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease has been like looking for the lost Ark of the Covenant.

And Dr. Patrick McGeer, who goes by the title of “Canada’s most cited neuroscientist,” says he believes that he’s finally found it.

He actually told reporters that he could make Alzheimer’s “disappear.”

So, is this the discovery of the century… or is it an April Fool’s joke?

Neither. It’s actually a terribly dangerous DIY medical treatment.

What Dr. McGeer is proposing is a lot more likely to cause kidney damage, stroke, heart attack, or a serious GI bleed long before some hypothetical Alzheimer’s cure kicks in.

But why even contemplate such a risky idea, when safe, natural methods of avoiding Alzheimer’s are at your disposal right now?

‘A game-changer’

Certainly, everyone has been waiting for a way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and Dr. McGeer claims to have come up with a “game-changer” — a breakthrough that will allow this mind-robbing disease to “eventually be eliminated.”

So, what is this big finding?

He proposes that people in danger of developing the disease simply pop an ibuprofen every single day for the rest of their lives.

And there’s no time to waste, he told the media. If those who are prone to dementia start up in middle age rather than in their senior years, untold numbers of lives will be saved.

But how do we know who’s at risk?

Well, he has an answer for that one, too. It just so happens to be a test invented by… yep, none other than the world-famous neuroscientist himself!

It involves analyzing saliva for an elevated protein that the doctor says is a sure-fire indicator of looming dementia. If your levels are high, then it’s time to start up on that daily ibuprofen to “ward off the disease.”

But unfortunately, Dr. McGreer, it’s not that simple.

As we’ve reported right here in the eAlert, ibuprofen (sold as Motrin and Advil) and other NSAIDS — such as aspirin and naproxen (Aleve) — have some nasty side effects that make taking them even occasionally a risky proposition.

And if you take them every day for decades, I’m sure they will “change the game” by leading to heart and kidney failure, hearing loss, and potentially life-threatening stomach bleeding.

Why, these drugs aren’t even safe to take when you’re sick! Last year, I told you how research found that taking an NSAID during a bout with a cold or the flu can triple your risk of suffering a heart attack.

And bleeding from NSAID-triggered ulcers, tissue tears, and inflammation already sends more than 100,000 Americans to the hospital every year. Can you imagine how those numbers would skyrocket if people started popping these pills daily to dodge dementia?

Where your kidneys are concerned, a large study involving 30,000 people discovered that if you have high blood pressure, taking one of these meds for as little as three months can make it a third more likely that you’ll develop chronic kidney disease.

And McGreer wants us to take these drugs for how long?

Look, he’s not the only one trying to shove some kind of pharmaceutical Alzheimer’s-prevention pill down your throat. Big Pharma has been at it for years now, and results range from bad to worse.

But why keep chasing after a drug cure? We already know about plenty of safe and effective ways to keep your brain sharp and your memories intact. And unlike what the neuroscientist is proposing, even if these DIY methods weren’t effective for everyone in slowing or stopping Alzheimer’s, the only “side effects” would be a long list of other health benefits!

For example:

Make sure that you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids, either from fatty fish or a high-quality fish-oil supplement that contains both DHA and EPA.
Include more good fats — those that contain medium-chain fatty acids, such as coconut oil — in your diet.
Start brain “exercises” such as doing puzzles, learning new skills (Parlez-vous français?), or even playing with your kids’ or grandkids’ video games.

And just a few days ago, I told you about a finding out of the University of South Florida that discovered how a powerful substance found in beets can “inhibit” the development of the brain plaques that are thought to be the hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s.

Yes, the prospect of getting this disease is frightening.

But then again, so is taking an ibuprofen every day. Because sooner or later… that’s going to boomerang back to haunt you.

“Neuroscientists say daily ibuprofen can prevent Alzheimer’s disease” IOS Press, March 26, 2018, ScienceDaily, sciencedaily.com