Pros and cons of aspirin

Dear Readers: Beginning this week Dr. Mehmet Oz has re-joined Dr. Michael Roizen in writing this column.

Salicylate, a compound found in willow trees and the active ingredient in aspirin, has been used to ease pain for over 4,000 years.

These days, it’s used to help prevent additional heart attacks and blood clots, reduce the risk of cancer, treat pain, and lower fevers.

According to Harvard Medical School researchers, around 29 million Americans take it daily. A third of those folks don’t have a history of cardiovascular disease or stroke and more than 6.5 million are taking it without a doctor’s oversight. Are they doing what’s best for them? Dr. Mike believes they probably are (although if they haven’t, they should tell their doc).

American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology updated guidelines advise against a daily aspirin for most people at low or moderate risk for heart disease as a method of preventing heart attacks. Why? The risks of severe bleeding in the GI tract may outweigh the benefits. However, they don’t mention that multiple epidemiologic studies show aspirin helps prevent nine cancers — for example, esophageal cancer, a concern in patients with GERD — or that it can be taken with bovine colostrum (2,000 milligrams daily) to prevent the GI risk.

Now there’s a study that reveals another reason to respect aspirin’s benefits. Research in Cell Death and Disease confirms that aspirin can prevent and control colorectal cancer by tamping down inflammation and inhibiting several colon cancer-related pathways. So talk to your doctor about your risks and benefits from taking aspirin. Used wisely it may be good medicine.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook. com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb. com, the world’s leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively.