This popular over-the-counter pain medication might be slowing down your gains.
Last updated on September 23rd, 2024
I have two and a half bottles of ibuprofen in my medicine cabinet right now. I’m not proud of it, but ibuprofen is, from time to time, a go-to supplement of mine for managing the frustrating side effects of regular heavy-duty strength training.
- Ibuprofen is part of a class of pain medications called NSAIDS; non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.
- In 2018, Reuters reported that NSAIDs like ibuprofen are among the most popular over-the-counter painkillers in the U.S. — and roughly 15% of users, “exceed the recommended daily dose.”
Cards on the table, I’m probably part of that 15% cohort. More importantly, I’ve heard here and there that regular ibuprofen usage can inhibit muscle growth. For the bodybuilders or gymgoers looking to size up, that’s bad news.
But is it fact or fiction? A well-cited study from 2008 sheds some light. Let’s have a look.
Ibuprofen & Muscle Growth: What the Study Says
The paper we’re cracking open was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, & Metabolism and is titled, “The effects of ibuprofen on muscle hypertrophy, strength, and soreness during resistance training.” (1) by Drs. Krentz et al.
The authors concluded in their abstract that “a moderate dose of ibuprofen ingested after repeated resistance training sessions does not impair muscle hypertrophy or strength.”
Case closed? Not quite. We need to understand what they mean by “moderate” and, more importantly, where this supposition regarding ibuprofen ingestion and hypertrophy impairment comes from in the first place.
What They Did
- Twelve men and six women, aged 24 on average, trained their left and right biceps on alternate days for six weeks.
- Participants were randomly assigned to consume a moderate 400-milligram dose of ibuprofen immediately after training one of their arms. The next day, they received a placebo.
- Participants were asked to report a self-assessed measure of muscle soreness daily.
- Researchers measured muscle thickness and 1-rep-max curl strength after the trial period concluded.
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Ibuprofen & Muscle Growth: How It Works
In the full text PDF of the Krentz paper, which you can download here, the authors discussed the purported mechanisms behind the idea that chronic ibuprofen ingestion may dampen the mechanisms that create muscle growth:
- “NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) activity … COX appears to be required for satellite cell activity, and inhibition of COX reduces muscle hypertrophy during recovery from injury…”
One of the studies Kentz & Co referred to was a 2004 paper by Bondesen et al., where muscular regeneration was measured in mice. (2)
This idea seems to have mechanistic plausibility, but what about real-world applications? Before we chuck our ibuprofen bottles in the bin, let’s look for a more contemporary, lifter-focused opinion.
Ibuprofen & Muscle Growth: Dr. Brad Schoenfeld
Dr. Brad Schoenfeld is considered one of the world’s leading experts on muscle growth and strength training. In a 2023 Stronger by Science interview with BarBend expert Greg Nuckols, Schoenfeld touched on whether lifters should forego ibuprofen if they’re trying to maximize hypertrophy:
- “This topic is still not well understood,” Schoenfeld said. “Some studies show no negative impact on muscular adaptations and exercise performance from the use of NSAIDs and a recent study has actually shown a positive effect.”
One Big Thing: Schoenfeld touched on an interesting caveat — the effects of ibuprofen on muscle growth differ depending on your age. “For the young hard-training lifter, I’d suggest avoiding consistent use of NSAIDs as it may hinder gains. For the elderly it is a complex issue that becomes more of a medical concern.”
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Ibuprofen & Muscle Growth: What You Should Do
After reading the Kentz paper in full and listening to Dr. Schoenfeld, I’m moderately more confident in my understanding of how ibuprofen affects hypertrophy training, but only just.
There’s no doubt that a hefty dose of NSAIDs can dull the aches and pains associated with hard (and often productive) strength training. Schoenfeld echoed as much, noting that the benefits of diminished pain could trump the physiological drawbacks discussed above.
However, the existing body of evidence plus the opinion of a bonafide expert don’t exactly endorse habitual NSAID usage if you’re a bodybuilder or strength athlete. Will hefty-but-infrequent ibuprofen usage nullify your hard work in the weight room? Probably not.
- Recent data from 2023 observed potentially harmful effects of 1,200 milligrams of ibuprofen on hypertrophy, but noted no significant issues with more reasonable doses of around 400 milligrams. (3) Author Grgic remarked, “the effects … should be considered preliminary, because they have not yet been replicated.”
But if you’re trying to squeeze every morsel of muscle gain out of your workouts that you can, you probably shouldn’t carry a bottle in your gym bag.
More Research Content
References
- Krentz, Joel & Quest, Braden & Farthing, Jonathan & Quest, Dale & Chilibeck, Philip. (2008). The effects of ibuprofen on muscle hypertrophy, strength, and soreness during resistance training. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquée, nutrition et métabolisme. 33. 470-5. 10.1139/H08-019.
- Bondesen, B. A., Mills, S. T., Kegley, K. M., & Pavlath, G. K. (2004). The COX-2 pathway is essential during early stages of skeletal muscle regeneration. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology, 287(2), C475–C483.
- Grgic, Jozo PhD. No Pain, No Gain? Examining the Influence of Ibuprofen Consumption on Muscle Hypertrophy. Strength and Conditioning Journal 45(4):p 481-485, August 2023. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000747
Featured Image: @prostock-studio / Shutterstock
