止痛藥可以預防前列腺的問題

Painkillers May Prevent Prostate Problems

Over-the-counter painkillers such as Advil and aspirin may help men stave off prostate problems, according to two new studies.

However, medical experts are quick to warn men not to self-medicate, and especially not to take more than recommended dosages.

The preventive painkillers fall into the general class of drugs called “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” or NSAIDs. Ibuprofen is one, and well-known brands include Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin. Other members of the NSAIDs class are naproxen (brand name “Aleve”) and aspirin.

Mayo Clinic epidemiologist Jennifer St. Sauver, who led the study that unveiled the possible beneficial effect, told HealthDay News, “Our data suggest if men are taking these [medications] for another problem, it might prevent urological problems as well.”

Men who took NSAIDs on a daily basis reduced the enlargement of their prostate glands by about 50 percent, St. Sauver’s study showed. Such enlargement, called “benign prostatic hyperplasia” or BPH, is common in men over 40, affecting about 50 percent of men by age 50, and about 75 percent by age 80.

Another study found that NSAIDs lowered prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels by about 10 percent. Prostate disorders, including cancer, frequently elevate levels of PSA, which the prostate gland produces and normally is present in small amounts.

Some of the men in Dr. Eric A. Singer's study took acetaminophen (Tylenol brand name), which also apparently reduced PSA levels. However, not enough men in the study took it to be statistically significant, said Singer, chief urology resident at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.

St. Sauver and Singer speculated that NSAIDs' anti-inflammatory action probably can help prevent prostate problems. Both researchers also caution men that NSAIDs can trigger kidney ailments, liver toxicity, and other health problems.

“We are certainly not telling men to take NSAIDs to reduce PSA or cancer risk,” Singer said. “Talk to your healthcare provider about prostate health and prostate cancer screening, and make sure your doctor knows what medications you are taking.”

Almost 200,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and 1 in 6 men develop it at some point in their lives, according to the American Cancer Society.