Can Childrens Aspirin Prevent Cancer As Well As Heart Disease?

       By: Darlene Varaleau
Posted: 2011-01-06 06:27:59
Childrens aspirin is known for its benefits of reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But research now shows that it can also reduce cancer deaths by at least twenty percent.Aspirin has been considered a wonder drug for thousands of years. Folk medicine has used willow tree extracts for pain relief since the time of the ancient Greeks. After a synthetic derivative (acetyl salicylic acid or ASA) was created in 1897, aspirin became the most widely used medicine in the world.But the gold standard of scientific evidence is a randomized controlled trial with many people over a long period of time. Oxford University has now released the results of such a trial demonstrating that aspirin can reduce cancer deaths by at least twenty percent. Is this news just too good to be true?ABOUT THE RESEARCHAspirin is known to cut the risk of heart attack and stroke among those at increased risk-although the protective effects are thought to be small for healthy adults. And there has always been a concern about the increased risk of bleeding in the stomach.Research involving 25,570 people in the UK (one third of whom were women) now suggests that when weighing the risks and benefits of taking aspirin, patients should consider its protective effect against cancer. Patients who took aspirin had a 25% lower risk of death from cancer during the trial period of the research and a 10% reduction in death from any cause compared to patients who were not taking aspirin.Taking aspirin over the long term reduced cancer risk as follows: * 20-year prostate cancer: 10%
* lung cancer: 30%
* bowel cancer: 40%
* esophageal/throat cancer: 60%Unfortunately, the research did not clearly indicate that aspirin reduced the risk of gynecological or breast cancers.ASPIRIN DOSAGE AND DURATIONThe Oxford University research found that small daily doses of aspirin were enough to provide protection from cancer and that daily dosages above 75mg provided no additional benefits. The research also found that daily intake of low-dose aspirin was required for prolonged periods before the benefits take effect. The duration for successful treatment was found to be as follows: * oesophageal, pancreatic brain and lung cancer: 5 years
* stomach and colorectal cancer: 10 years
* prostate cancer: 15 yearsFortunately, the benefits of low dose aspirin appear to last for many years.Researchers believe that the best time to begin taking aspirin is when the risk of most cancers starts to rise significantly- after the age of 45.IS CHILDRENS ASPIRIN FOR EVERYONE?
Despite the encouraging research, doctors are not yet prescribing aspirin for everyone as an addition to their vitamin supplements. There are a number of health conditions that may pose a risk even for low dose aspirin and the sudden stopping of daily aspirin therapy may trigger a blood clot and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Consultation with a medical doctor is always recommended before adding it to a daily regimen.BUYING CHILDRENS ASPIRINManufacturers now produce a low dose adult aspirin of 81mg (compared to regular aspirin which is usually 325mg) so that the purchase of baby aspirin is no longer necessary for those seeking to prevent cancer or heart attacks.Consultation with a medical doctor is encouraged if you are considering adding childrens aspirin to your daily regimen. An outline of these risks may be found at http://osteoporosis-vitamins.com/aspirin-risks.htmlDarlene Varaleau is a lawyer and business person by profession. After being diagnosed with osteopenia, she developed http://osteoporosis-vitamins.com to explore natural osteoporosis treatment options. The site provides information on affordable calcium and vitamin supplements, strontium, progesterone cream and exercise. She loves getting suggestions for improving the site, so please drop by for a visit.
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