Don't Make This Muscle-Building Mistake
Over-the-counter pain killers (such as ibuprofen) are a popular
way to ease the pain and soreness that manifests itself 24-48 hours
after a tough workout.
However, what most people don't realize is that high doses of these
pain killers can "blunt" the normal rise in protein synthesis
that occurs after exercise. In other words, while they can control
the pain, regular use of these pain killers could put the brakes
on muscle growth.
Pain killers
Protein synthesis is one important factor controlling the rate
of muscle growth. In simple terms, your muscles grow larger when
protein synthesis is greater than protein breakdown.
Think of your muscles like a bath. Water coming into the bath is
known as protein synthesis. Water leaving the bath is known as protein
breakdown. When there's more water coming into the bath than there
is going out, you'll end up with bigger muscles.
One of the ways that pain killers such as ibuprofen work is to
suppress the synthesis of substances known as prostaglandins. However,
these very same prostaglandins also have a profound effect on muscle
growth.
Some evidence linking prostaglandins to a reduced rate of protein
synthesis comes from a trial published in the Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism.
A group of male subjects with an average age of 25 were assigned
to one of three groups. All groups performed 10-14 sets of 10 eccentric
repetitions for the muscles on the front of the thigh.
• After completing the workout, group one received the maximal
over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen (1200 milligrams daily).
• Group two was given acetaminophen (4000 milligrams daily).
• The third group received a placebo (a "dummy"
supplement) that contained no active ingredients.
When muscle samples were analyzed 24 hours after exercise, levels
of a prostaglandin called PGF2 increased by an average of 77% in
the group using the placebo. This represents the normal response
to exercise. However, PGF2 levels dropped by 1% and 14% in the ibuprofen
and acetaminophen groups respectively.
Of course, this was only a short-term study. The extent to which
the prolonged use of pain killers affects muscle growth over a
period of several weeks or months is open to debate.
However, while the occasional use of pain killers isn't likely
to cause a problem, they're certainly not something you should use
too often.
If you do want to avoid feeling sore after exercise, the best way
is simply to ease your way into a new training program gradually.
About The Author
 Christian Finn holds a master's degree in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer and has been featured on BBC TV and radio, as well as in Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Fit Pro, Zest and other popular fitness magazines.
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in a rut with your current exercise and diet plan... fed up with
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Reference
Trappe, T.A., Fluckey, J.D., White, F., Lambert, C.P., &
Evans, W.J. (2001). Skeletal muscle PGF(2)(alpha) and PGE(2) in
response to eccentric resistance exercise: influence of ibuprofen
acetaminophen. Journal
of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 86, 5067-5070
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