ACHES, PAINS & ACTIVE LIFESTYLES: A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

The following research shows that when compared to NSAIDs, natural alternatives classified as ATP Accelerators, such as StayActiv®, result in healthy pain relief, unimpeded recovery and no toxicity.

People who lead active lives, such as athletes, can expect to have occasional aches and pains or even be out of commission with an injury. Most athletes turn to popular NSAIDs like ibuprofen to minimize pain and get back into action. But is this the right choice?

According to research from Austria and Appalachian State University, there are significant reasons to explore other ways to control discomfort. The FDA has long warned of the liver, kidney, and stomach damage that can be caused by popular pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin. The medical community in general cautions that too many people take these drugs chronically. But now there is mounting evidence that beyond the known risks, healing is actually impeded with the use of NSAIDs. Long-term health effects may include additional problems similar to those experienced by people with diets low in anti-oxidants.

HOW NSAIDS INTERFERE WITH MUSCLE, TENDON, BONE & CARTILAGE REPAIR

At the 5th World Congress on Sports Trauma, Drs. Bjorn Dimmen and H. Alfredson reported findings that drugs like common NSAIDs that inhibit or block cyclooxygenase pathways (COX-2 Inhibitors) also interfere with tendon, bone, and cartilage repair. Alfredson presented that beyond inhibiting COX-2, which helps create the chemical cascade leading to prostaglandin (PGE) release (which in turn triggers pain and inflammation), NSAIDs also inhibit tenocytes which virtually blocks protein synthesis in the muscle. This synthesis is needed for the repair of many injuries.

NSAIDs – the ANTI - ANTI - OXIDANT

Dr. Steven McAnulty and colleagues at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina found using NSAIDs could be bad for muscles even in cases where there was no damage initially.

They noticed that runners who took ibuprofen as a pain preventative before strenuous exercise reported more soreness the following day than athletes who did not. Analysis of blood and urine also revealed remarkable differences in the levels of protein carbonyls (PCs), which are key indicators of oxidative stress, in those who had used NSAIDs versus those who hadn’t. PC levels were "dramatically increased" after exercise in NSAID users only. Oxidative stress can cause toxic effects through the production of peroxides and free radicals that damage all components of the body’s cells, including proteins, lipids, and DNA. Long-term oxidative stress is also understood to be involved in many neurodegenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

SAFE / HEALTHY OPTIONS FOR PAIN FROM OVER - EXERTION

Over the past six years, research has been conducted at major university medical centers on the effects of new compounds on controlling pain and inflammation. Special consideration has been given to pain relief and safety combined. This research has led to improved physical-chemical characteristics of pain relieving compounds and dramatic improvements in anti-inflammatory activity and pain control.

These new ATP Accelerator compounds like StayActiv® have proven efficacy in controlling pain similar to NSAIDs but without the toxicity or impedance to healing. Necropsy studies showed that even super-therapeutic doses of StayActiv had no effect on blood chemistry or organ profiles. In a study where cultured cells were treated with bacterial toxins, the cells produced and released prostaglandins similar to injured tissue. Data shows that this new class of pain relievers effectively retards the release of PGE. This inhibition is dose-dependent with higher concentrations producing the greatest amount of inhibition of prostaglandin release.

Unlike NSAIDs, these new compounds do not inhibit the COX-2 enzyme. They reduce prostaglandin release from cells by a different mechanism (mitochondrial membrane stabilization) which leads to improved mitochondrial function and less membrane damage, which initiates prostaglandin release. These new compounds do not have the negative side effects associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are COX-2 inhibitors. And as an added benefit, the new compounds are known to have anti-oxidant properties.