Say no to painkillers: Ibuprofen stops your muscles from getting bigger, says study

Gym lovers, take note. If you want to bulk up and get in shape, stay away from painkillers. According to a new study, regularly taking Ibuprofen can slow down muscle growth. Swedish researchers found the drugs, which are one of the most widely consumed in the world, interfere with the healing process of muscles, which stops them from getting bigger following a work-out. Dr Tommy Lundberg, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, was behind the “extremely interesting” findings.

The team then measured certain variables, including muscle growth, strength and anti-inflammatory markers. The findings indicated that after eight weeks, the increase in muscle volume was twice as large in the low-dose aspirin group. The muscle strength was also impaired with high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs, but not to such a huge extent.

Dr Lundberg added that the researchers chose to look at the effect of Ibuprofen as it is the most well-studied anti-inflammatory drug on the market. “But we believe that high doses of all types of over-the-counter NSAIDs have similar effects,” the authors noted.

The new findings come after a study in June suggested that going to the gym and lifting weights could prevent against dementia. The research appears in the Acta Physiological journal.