health briefs

Avoid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs to Lower Long-Term Pain Risk

Taking anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief can actually lead to chronic long-term pain, say researchers from Canada’s McGill University in the journal Science Translational Medicine. They found evidence of less healing in 98 lower back pain patients that took steroids or a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) compared to participants that did not take such medications. A similar study on mice led to the conclusion that NSAIDs and steroids increased the tendency for prolonged, chronic pain. Examples of NSAIDs are ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, celecoxib and high-dose aspirin.

Analyzing the records of 500,000 people in the UK, the researchers also found that those taking anti-inflammatory drugs to treat pain were more likely to still have that pain two to 10 years later. The study authors theorize that lowering inflammation blocks the activity of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that sets the stage for tissue damage repair. “Inflammation occurs for a reason, and it looks like it’s dangerous to interfere with it,” says senior author Jeffrey S. Mogil, Ph.D.

Optimize Gut Health in Kids with ADHD or Autism Symptoms

The key role that the microbiome plays in children’s health has been documented in a new study that links gut health to symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University and the National University of Natural Medicine tested 135 children with ADHD that took no medication. For eight weeks, half of the children took a placebo and half took vitamin and mineral supplements at doses between the recommended daily allowance and what is considered the upper tolerable limit. The ones taking the micronutrients were three times more likely to show symptomatic improvement on blinded clinician ratings, compared to those in the placebo group (54 percent versus 18 percent).