Q. I read that taking vitamin C at the same time as aspirin can reduce stomach irritation. Does this protective effect of vitamin C also apply to other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen?
A. One of the drawbacks of using aspirin or any NSAID for more than a few days at a time is the risk of gastrointestinal irritation, which can lead to bleeding ulcers. Almost a decade ago, researchers determined that taking vitamin C (ascorbic acid) together with aspirin could reduce the damage (Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, Nov. 2006, Suppl. 5).
Little research has been done on whether vitamin C provides similar protection from gastrointestinal damage due to other NSAIDs. Taking vitamin C at the same time as naproxen, however, seems to generate compounds less likely to cause ulcers (Archives of Pharmacal Research, Suppl. 1, Mar. 2012).
Other possible approaches to reducing stomach irritation from NSAIDs or aspirin include deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) or SAMe (Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Sep. 1983; American Journal of Medicine, Suppl. 1, Nov. 20, 1987).
photo credit: Jeffrey Beall cc cropped
