A new study funded by the Michael J. Fox foundation shows that people who take Ibuprofen 1-2x per week decrease their risk of developing Parkinson's disease by 38%. That's very impressive, especially since there is no cure for Parkinson's today, and one in 500 will develop the disease.
Does this mean that you should start taking Ibuprofen regularly? The answer at this time is NO!
While Ibuprofen may decrease your risk of developing Parkinson's, it will definitely increase your risk of gastrointestinal problems. And najor adverse gastrointestinal events attributed to NSAIDs are responsible for over 100,000 hospitalizations, $2 billion in healthcare costs, and 17,000 deaths in the US each year.
In addition, this study examined only data of six years, so it may not have captured Parkinson's cases that develop later on.
What's interesting, though, is WHY Ibuprofen works. It's because it decreases apoptosis (planned cell death), oxidative damage and inflammation of the nervous system. So next time you see your naturopath, ask them what other options there are to achieve these effects!
