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Metformin is a plant extract. Not for me, but neither is aspirin. I do chew willow twigs once a week because I teach about them.
ReplyI am a 30 year old with persistently high platelets and c-reactive protein counts for years that no doctor has been able to find a cause for, and lately high ferritin too. I have no obvious symptoms besides chronic fatigue. There seems to be some sort of mysterious inflammatory process going on in my body, and I worry about what damage it’s doing to me over the long term. Now, I have read here and elsewhere that daily aspirin is normally contraindicated for people under 50. For someone in my situation, do you think starting a daily baby aspirin might outweigh the risk of bleeding?
ReplyOf course I can’t give medical advice. From what you’re telling me, a better line of attack might be to find out the cause of your symptoms and lab values. High platelets and high ferritin seem like things that a doctor could work on to find causes.
ReplyI think the benefits of aspirin are mostly from salicylic acid. Aspirin has cox-2 inhibitory action and salicylic acid doesnt. The body rapidly metabolized aspirin-> salicylic acid.
salicylic acid has it all
– direct agonism of ampk means
Mtor1 down so less protein synthesis
Mtor1 down so more autophagy
nfkb down less inflammation
ampk mediated nfr2 upregulation, more endogenous anti-oxidants
-iron chelation
– hopefully ros mediated autophagy and nfr2 upregulation
ReplyIt’s also good to note from the study extract that the Passiflora tablets that help me sleep well at night can also extend longevity (at least in yeast). And also Apium graveolens = celery. So will try to add more of that to my diet. Good tips!!
ReplyI noticed that – I looked up most of the Latin names listed, figured it was grape seed or something, but, no – celery seed! BTW, also noteworthy was that extracts of tea (Camellia sinensis) and chocolate (Theobroma cacao) did not extend yeast lifespan.
ReplyThat’s interesting that those other two polyphenol-rich nutrients (cacao and tea extract) did not help extend yeast lifespan, but undoubtedly they have other health benefits..
Re: aspirin, as well as reducing iron, there is definitely something to the salicylic acid too. You may remember I recommended those glycine posts to you recently, well in the 3rd one (see link below) Dr Brind talks about the benefits of salicylic acid:
http://180degreehealth.com/diet-inflammation-part-3/
Talking of glycine, in another unrelated article I was reading on ways to improve sleep, it mentioned that the herbal teas that help improve sleep (ie chamonile, passiflora and valerian – ie the herbs mentioned in the above extract) do so via the mildly sedative effects of glycine. Not sure if that’s true or not, but glycine sure seems to be cropping up quite a lot in health studies recently!
In terms of aspirin tablets, personally, I am still a little reticent to take them regularly (I guess when I get over 50 I may reconsider). I still have memories of visiting my Dad in hospital when I was a kid, when he had unwittingly caused internal bleeding from using a few too many aspirins! But, if you want to increase your intake of salicylic acid from food sources,
then I came across this website which lists out foods in each category:
http://salicylatesensitivity.com/about/food-guide/fruits/
Funnily enough, there is quite a high correlation with high polyphenol/ flavanoid containing foods (ie the top 100 polyphenol containing foods listed on the link which Joe O included in his recent guest post).
ReplyI’m reading Dumping Iron. Pretty good. I’ve got to get my ferritin measured.
ReplyI have an annual physical coming up, and I am going to make them check my ferritin, which they don’t usually do.
ReplyAny thoughts on taking children’s aspirin instead of adult aspirin? Any difference?
ReplyJim, the only difference in children’s aspirin is the dose. Most studies on low-dose aspirin look at a daily 80 mg dose, which is the same as a children’s (baby) aspirin.
ReplyPterostilbene should be also used against inflammation: http://www.pterostilbene.com
It decrease tnf alpha a lot
ReplyAny thoughts about avoiding the hearing loss side effect of long term salicylic acid use?
ReplyHi Johnny, due to the potential of adverse side effects with aspirin, I always tell people they should check with their doctor before long-term aspirin use. The consensus of opinion in the medical world is that there’s a much better ratio of benefits to risks above the age of about 50.
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