Ibuprofen Helps Curb Alzheimer’s 60 Percent Reduction Possible But So Is Major Kidney Damage

The risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced by as much as 60 percent by frequent consumption of the common anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen over two years or longer, a massive study to be released today has shown.

Even shorter use could reduce the risk by as much as 35 percent, a team from Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute on Aging reports in the journal Neurology.

Earlier studies had hinted that ibuprofen, commonly known as Advil, Motrin or Nuprin, and other anti-inflammatory drugs might delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, but this is the largest study to date and perhaps the most convincing, experts said.

But the researchers cautioned against widespread use of ibuprofen in an effort to stave off the disease, which affects as many as 4 million Americans, most over the age of 65. The drug can cause peptic ulcers and kidney damage.

“Ibuprofen can shut down your kidneys,” said Dr. Claudia Kawas of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “That would be a terrible thing to do while trying to prevent something you might not even get.”

The study centered on 2,300 individuals who have been asked about use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly called NSAIDs, since 1978.

Kawas noted that some were taking the drugs once or twice a week, while others were consuming them once or twice a day. “What would be the best dosage and frequency is completely unknown” for now, she said.