Ibuprofen is one of the most common over-the-counter painkillers, widely used to relieve pain and reduce fever. As part of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) family, it’s generally considered safe when used as directed.
While it’s well known that ibuprofen can sometimes increase the risk of heart problems and stroke, its impact on the liver has been less clear—until now.
A recent study from the University of California Davis has revealed surprising findings about how ibuprofen affects the liver, with notable differences in how these effects manifest in males and females.
In the study, researchers gave mice a moderate dose of ibuprofen for one week. The dosage was equivalent to a human adult taking about 400 mg daily—the typical dose for mild pain relief.
To understand how the drug influenced liver function, they used advanced techniques to analyze the metabolic activity in the mice’s liver cells.
What they found was striking. Ibuprofen caused changes in at least 34 different metabolic pathways in the livers of male mice. These pathways are essential for many critical functions, including breaking down amino acids, processing hormones, and metabolizing vitamins.
One of the most concerning findings was that ibuprofen affected the production of reactive molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide, inside liver cells. Hydrogen peroxide can damage proteins and create stress in liver cells, which could potentially lead to long-term harm.
The study also found significant differences between male and female livers in response to ibuprofen. For example, the proteasome—a system within cells that breaks down and disposes of unwanted proteins—reacted differently depending on sex.
This could mean that drugs taken alongside ibuprofen might linger in the bodies of males longer than in females, increasing the chance of side effects.
These findings highlight the importance of considering sex-based differences when prescribing medications or studying their effects. Drugs like ibuprofen, which are often taken without much thought, might have more complex and varied impacts on health than previously understood.
The researchers stress that medications like ibuprofen should not be overused, especially for mild pain that might be managed through other means.
Their work supports the idea that personalized medicine—where treatment is tailored to factors like sex—could improve the safety and effectiveness of common drugs.
This research also connects to broader trends in understanding pain management. For example, certain diets have been shown to help reduce nerve pain in people with diabetes, and traditional medicines have offered promising pain relief in some cases.
Additionally, over-the-counter pain relievers have been linked to changes in blood pressure, suggesting a need for careful consideration of their broader effects.
Led by Professor Aldrin Gomes, this study was published in the journal Scientific Reports. It sheds light on how even widely used medications like ibuprofen can have unexpected effects on the body.
The findings emphasize the need for more research into how drugs impact men and women differently, paving the way for safer and more effective approaches to pain management.
For now, the key takeaway is clear: while ibuprofen can be helpful for pain and fever, it’s worth using it thoughtfully and sparingly, keeping in mind its potential effects on the liver and the differences in how it may work for males and females.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about a diet that can treat fatty liver disease and obesity, and coffee drinkers may halve their risk of liver cancer.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies that anti-inflammatory diet could help prevent fatty liver disease, and results showing vitamin D could help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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