Dr Ellie on why people should be taking Vitamin D supplements
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The Mayo Clinic cautions that ibuprofen can cause bleeding in the stomach or intestines without causing obvious warning signs. This could potentially have devastating consequences, so it’s important to be aware of the risks before starting treatment. Combining the drug with certain health supplements, for instance, could trigger bleeding in the brain and cause a stroke.
The NHS warns that it is important “not to take ginkgo biloba with ibuprofen as it can increase the chance of bleeding”.
“There is not enough information to say that other herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with ibuprofen.”
They are not tested in the same way as prescription medicines”. Ginkgo biloba is used to boost cognitive function, soothe bladder infections and increase sexual energy.
These benefits are delivered primarily by powerful flavonoids and other potent antioxidants.
A problematic component of the plant is ginkgotoxin, found both in ginkgo seeds and to a lesser extent in the plant’s leaves.
Anyone who is older has a bleeding disorder or is pregnant is advised to steer clear of the chemical at all costs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration echoes this advice, warning that implications can arise from mixing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and plant-inhibiting ones.
It warns: “Combining dietary supplements and medications can have dangerous and even life-threatening effects.
“For example, drugs for HIV/AIDS, heart disease, depression, treatments for organ transplants and birth control pills are less effective when taken with St John’s Wart.”
In 2013, the medical journal Atherosclerosis reported a case of a fatal intracerebral mass bleeding event in a 71-year-old man who had taken ginkgo biloba extract in conjunction with ibuprofen.
The patient died of an intracerebral haemorrhage while taking ibuprofen for four weeks while also taking ginkgo biloba extract for two years.
Science Direct explained that although the supplement was intended to stimulate memory and improve circulation, it can have very powerful side effects.
This includes the inhibition of platelet-activating factor receptors leading to haemorrhage, which has been described in a string of case reports.
Ibuprofen has also been linked with issues like bleeding because it decreases how much prostaglandin is produced.
This means stomach damage such as bleeding and ulcers in the stomach and intestines is a possible side effect, though this is relatively rare.
Despite being sourced from natural plants, many supplements can cause bleeding in the stomach and intestines.
In many cases, this bleeding can occur without producing obvious symptoms, which could have lethal outcomes.
It should be noted, however, that the majority of journals reporting on this effect are primarily anecdotal.
Although some research warns against taking ibuprofen and ginkgo in conjunction with each other, other studies suggest there is insufficient evidence to support a serious health risk from taking both drugs.
In fact, one systematic review challenged the dangers surrounding ginkgo, after failing to find any clinically important changes in blood coagulation.
Therefore, further research is needed to elucidate the gravity of these risks.
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