• 703-532-4892
  • New Patients
  • Patient Portal
  • Conditions
    • Long-COVID Syndrome
    • Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance
    • Lyme Disease
    • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heavy Metal Toxicity
    • Hormonal Imbalances
    • Mold Toxicity
    • Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
    • Neurotoxicity
    • Thyroid Disorders
    • All Conditions
  • Services
    • Long-COVID Recovery Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Detoxification Protocol
    • Herbal Remedies & Nutritional Supplements
    • Hormone Replacement Therapy
    • IV Therapy
    • Niagen+ (NR) IV Therapy
    • Nutritional Testing, Counseling & Coaching
    • Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
    • Physical Therapy
    • Psychotherapy, EMDR & Guided Meditation
    • Telemedicine
    • All Treatments
  • Providers
    • Gary Kaplan
    • Lisa Lilienfield
    • Rebecca Berkson
    • Jeanne Scheele
    • Patricia Alomar
    • Jessica Briscoe Coleman
    • Jodi Brayton
    • Chardonée Donald
    • Nidhi Reva
    • Laura Elizabeth Dorsett
    • All Providers
  • About
    • Why Kaplan Center?
    • Integrative Medicine
    • Dr. Gary Membership
    • Our Support Team
    • Financial FAQs
    • Provider Fees
    • Our Goal
    • Patient Testimonials
  • Resources
    • Health & Wellness Blog
    • Events
    • Featured Press
    • Videos
    • Featured Interviews and Podcasts
    • Books
    • eBooks
    • Professional Resources
    • Research
  • Store
  • Contact
  • 703-532-4892
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu

Tag Archive for: heart disease

Posts

meditation for stress

Why Meditation Is One of The Most Important Things You Can Do for Heart Health: A Doctor Explains

April 8, 2024/in Meditation/by Gary Kaplan, DO

Despite medical advances, heart disease remains the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States. This is a startling reality, especially given how preventable it is for those of us that are not genetically predisposed. Stress, along with smoking, sedentary habits, and a poor diet are some of the main lifestyle-related risk factors that increase your chance of developing the condition.

This article looks specifically at stress as a risk factor for heart disease, and meditation as a natural and proven method to mitigate its effects.

How The Stress-Response System Works

Whether it’s related to work, health, money, relationships, or some other life event or situation, stress eventually finds its way into your life. Thankfully, your body is well equipped to handle stressful situations thanks to the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is dedicated to regulating processes such as increased heart rate and shallow breathing, which kick in when you begin to experience stress or anxiety.

The stress-reaction process is truly an amazing and efficient one: when your body is under stress the amygdala in the brain fires up and sends an alert that there is a stressor, then the sympathetic nervous system is activated and prepares your body to “fight or take flight.” Your adrenals then go to work, supplying your body with cortisol and adrenaline, completing the trifecta of the stress-response process.

Typically the stress-response system is self-limiting, and when the stressor is gone, cortisol and adrenaline levels subside, and allostasis or stability is restored to your body. However, when the stress-reaction process is repeated multiple times over a relatively short period, stress becomes chronic, and the system breaks down. This is called “allostatic load,” which often results in an increase in physiological issues that compromise your immune system, inducing illness, and even accelerating disease processes such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

703-532-4892 x2

Why Meditation Can Help Your Heart

The practice of meditation for stress relief has become more widely accepted as a complementary treatment to conventional medicine. As research affirms its positive psychological and physiological effects on the body, the attitude of “it can’t hurt” has shifted to “it can help.” According to an NIH survey done in 2017, next to yoga, meditation is the second most used mind-body therapy in the U.S.

How Lowering Stress Promotes Heart Health

A regular meditation practice can play a role in reducing cardiovascular disease by:

  1. Lowering blood pressure. When left untreated high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart disease. In 2021, a systematic review and meta-analysis that looked at six studies concluded that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) contributed to a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive and prehypertensive participants.
  2. Releasing feelings of stress and tension. Meditating quietly even for just a few minutes a day can restore feelings of calm and peacefulness. In a 2021 study on nursing students, researchers reported a significant reduction of anxiety and stress after engaging in mind-body techniques such as meditation over a period of time.
  3. Improving sleep. Evidence shows that mindfulness meditation can be successfully used for the treatment of insomnia.
  4. Improving the response to emotional stimuli. After an 8-week period, the researchers in this 2016 study reported “…MBSR led to changes in the amygdala consistent with improved emotion regulation.”
  5. Boosting the immune system. After an 8-week period, the researchers in this study in Psychosomatic Medicine reported “demonstrable effects on brain and immune function.”
  6. Reducing inflammation. Inflammation plays a major role in heart disease. Chronic inflammation is involved in all stages of atherosclerosis, the process that leads to cholesterol-clogged arteries. Practicing a mind-body therapy such as meditation, in adjunct with dietary and exercise programs, can help reduce underlying inflammatory processes.

The bottom line: Meditation is a practice that you can do anywhere at any time, alone in the privacy of your own home, or in the company of others. As with many things in life, getting started is the hardest step. Private consultations with a trained practitioner can be a wonderful way for you to take that first step or to enhance an existing practice.

Below you’ll find some additional studies that demonstrate the positive effects of meditation, as well as yoga (which incorporates many of the wonderful elements of meditation), on cardiovascular health.

  • Association Between Mind-Body Practice and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The Rotterdam Study.
  • Meditation and coronary heart disease: a review of the current clinical evidence.
  • Systematic Review of Yoga Interventions to Promote Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults.
  • Yoga as an Alternative and Complementary Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review.

In the battle against stress and even heart disease, there is a lot you can do! By being proactive now, you can bring about changes that can make a significant difference in how you feel, both physically and emotionally, in the very near future.


We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

This article first appeared in Dr. Kaplan’s column on MindBodyGreen.com. Reviewed and updated April, 2024.

vitamin_d_benefits

Health Benefits of Vitamin D

August 6, 2023/in Bone Health, Nutrition, Wellness/by Gary Kaplan, DO

Though there is an abundance of research on the health benefits of Vitamin D, some estimate that up to 50% of certain populations in the US may have lower than advisable levels in the body. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the definition of what constitutes a deficiency, making analysis of the scale of the problem more difficult.

Mechanisms of Vitamin D

Vitamin D receptors are present in nearly every tissue and cell in the body, making it essential in maintaining many of the body’s physiological functions. At a minimum, it maintains bone health by helping the body to absorb calcium, keeping bones healthy and strong. A deficiency over a prolonged period of time can lead to a loss in bone density and a higher likelihood of fractures and falls as a person ages.

We also know that adequate Vitamin D levels can lower the risk of developing heart disease. Research shows an inverse relationship between Vitamin D and C Reactive Protein (CRP), which is a marker associated with heart disease (the higher the CRP levels, the higher the risk of heart disease). Higher CRP levels are also indicative of other inflammatory illnesses in the body.

Vitamin D is essential for the normal and healthy functioning of the immune system. When adequate levels are not maintained, the microglia – the immune cells of the Central Nervous System that initiate temporary inflammatory responses to attack foreign invading organisms – are unable to function optimally. Subsequently, people with low levels of Vitamin D are at higher risk of developing a host of inflammatory conditions such as Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, migraines, Depression, Fibromyalgia, and various forms of cancer.

Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D can be obtained in the following ways:

  1. Exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is produced when bare skin is exposed to UV rays. Factors such as sunscreen use and geographic location can affect a person’s Vitamin D level. Experts say that approximately 5-10 minutes per day without sunscreen, 2-3 times a week,
  2. Food. While there are not too many foods that naturally contain Vitamin D, good sources include fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel. It can also be found in eggs (specifically the yolks) and in liver.
  3. Nutritional supplements. Taking a daily supplement is an easy and effective way to maintain adequate levels in the body. However, because Vitamin D is fat-soluble, it is harder for your body to eliminate it if levels get too high. Therefore, make sure to talk to your physician about the dosage that’s best for you. Make sure also to only use supplements from a reliable manufacturer given that supplements are not FDA regulated.
  4.  

How much is enough?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that it is stored by the body in fat tissue and remains on reserve for future use. This also means, of course, that it is possible to reach toxic levels if too much is taken.

The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) recommends supplementation of up to 600 IUs per day, and up to 800 IUs per day for those over 70 years old. The IOM also suggests, however, that a person may need a much larger dose depending on his/ her state of health.

These are general recommendations – the only way to determine appropriate dosage is by having serum levels measured by asking your doctor to order a “Vit. D 25-OH-D” test (also called Vit. D 25, Hydroxy). This is the best test to accurately determine if you have adequate levels of Vitamin D in your body.

Serum levels are considered normal in the 30-100ng/ml range, but when the goal is optimal health, maintaining a level of 50-70ng/ml is ideal.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

treating acid reflux

6 Ways to Improve Acid Reflux Symptoms Naturally and Stay Heart Healthy

February 16, 2023/in Digestive Issues, Wellness/by Gary Kaplan, DO

In 2015, a study from Stanford University suggested that the long-term use of certain medications used to treat symptoms associated with acid reflux can increase one’s risk of having a heart attack. Since its publication, studies continue to confirm its findings.

These medications, known as Proton Pump Inhibitors or PPIs, include the brand-names Prevacid, Nexium, and Prilosec, and are the strongest medications available to counter the effects of excess stomach acid. They are used to both prevent and treat ulcers, and to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). PPIs are among the most widely prescribed class of medications in the United States.

About the 2015 study

After analyzing millions of medical records to find a relationship between heartburn medications and cardiovascular risk, researchers found that there was indeed a link between the two variables; people who used a PPI as part of their treatment for GERD had an elevated risk of suffering a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. Furthermore, they found that this risk did not apply to patients who used another class of heartburn medications, called H2 blockers, which include brand names such as Pepcid or Zantac.

More recently, research has confirmed that the long-term use of PPIs not only increases the risk of a cardiac event, but can also increase the risk of dementia.

It’s important to note that when used appropriately as a short term treatment, PPIs can be effective to ease acid reflux symptoms. However, since PPIs are available over the counter, the risk of over-use increases as individuals are not necessarily aware of the long-term risks.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

703-532-4892 x2

Equally important to note is that some people who use a PPI may have a pre-existing condition that can cause an increased risk of having a heart attack. For example, obesity, alcohol consumption, and smoking are all risk factors for heart disease, and have all individually been shown to increase symptoms of acid reflux and GERD in clinical trials. These lifestyle factors must be taken into consideration before use. The bottom line is that one must always assess the actual risks and benefits of any medical intervention, and explore other possible interventions, before starting any medication.

6 Ways to Improve Acid Reflux Symptoms Naturally and Stay Heart Healthy

  1. Change your diet: Keeping a healthy weight is not only better for your heart, it’s better for controlling heartburn too! Spicy, fatty, or acidic foods can trigger heartburn so avoiding these types of foods makes a difference. Try eating smaller meals more frequently, cutting back on your caffeine intake, and don’t eat close to bedtime. Also, talk to your doctor about supplements such as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) & high-dose melatonin – two supplements that we prescribe to our patients at the Center with great results.
  1. Get tested for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth): Normally, the small intestine contains relatively few bacteria. Most intestinal bacteria are confined to the large intestine. A bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. It also interferes with normal digestion and absorption of food and can cause damage to the lining or membrane of the small intestine, which ironically can also be caused by prolonged use of an acid-suppressing medication. SIBO can often be an underlying cause of GERD and other gastrointestinal conditions – if you test positive for SIBO, treatment includes dietary modifications as well as probiotic supplementation, and in some cases, an antibiotic.
  1. Cut back on alcohol consumption: Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can cause high blood pressure, a major risk factor for having a heart attack. While the research remains inconsistent on alcohol consumption as a cause of GERD, some studies have demonstrated that alcohol can contribute to its progression. If alcohol aggravates your GERD, your doctor may recommend that you limit or avoid consumption.
  1. Keep exercising: If you have heartburn or GERD you may notice that intense exercise can worsen your symptoms. Don’t let this keep you away from physical activity! Exercise is essential for optimal health and it’s particularly important in maintaining a healthy heart. For GERD sufferers, the trick is to find the right balance for your body to keep your symptoms at bay. Avoid physical activity after eating and try less jarring activities. Exercises that put your abs to work, like running, biking, and weightlifting, have been found to trigger symptoms more frequently because of stomach contractions, so these are good ones to avoid.
  1. Quit smoking, today: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. It can damage the cells that line the blood vessels, causing them to thicken and narrow, thereby allowing clots to form, which can, in turn, block blood flow to the heart. A study published in the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology showed that cigarette smoking can also increase the occurrence of acid reflux. If you have tried independently to quit smoking but have not been able to kick the habit, talk to your doctor today about cessation programs and support groups in your community.
  1. Try acupuncture or meditation: Alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and meditation, are both immune boosters and stress reducers that have consistently shown that they can improve GERD symptoms in patients.

Additional resources:

Updated Insights on Cardiac and Vascular Risks of Proton Pump Inhibitors: A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Study

Association of Proton Pump Inhibitors With Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Failure

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

     

    Updated February 16. 2023.

    Inflammation as a predictor of heart disease.

    Why Cholesterol Levels Are Not the Best Predictor of Heart Disease

    February 4, 2021/in Inflammation, Treatments/by Gary Kaplan, DO

    Individuals with higher-than-normal cholesterol levels are commonly prescribed statins in the hope of reducing their risk of heart disease or stroke. Yet, medical research indicates that statins actually have very limited usefulness in preventing heart disease unless the patient already has a personal history of the disease. This may be due, in part, to the fact that cholesterol is just one of a series of factors that put an individual at risk.

    Furthermore, statin use over a prolonged period has been linked to an increased risk of Type II Diabetes. A  study published in spring 2015 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, cited this connection among healthy adults at baseline.

    In the study – Statins and New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Complications: A Retrospective Cohort Study of US Healthy Adults – researchers looked at a pool of 25,970 adult patients defined for the purposes of the study as “healthy” (i.e., free of heart disease, diabetes, and other severe chronic diseases). From this pool, 3351 statin users and 3351 non-users were propensity score-matched based on 42 baseline characteristics. The results were striking: statin users were almost twice as likely to develop diabetes, more than twice as likely to develop diabetic complications, and slightly more likely to become overweight/obese than their counterparts.

    Recent studies continue to confirm the link:

    Statins and the potential for higher diabetes mellitus risk
    Statin users have an elevated risk of dysglycemia and new-onset-diabetes

    Inflammation as a predictor of heart disease

    Inflammation is a much more reliable predictor of one’s risk of developing heart disease than cholesterol and is easily measured by looking at a patient’s C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. What’s also heartening (pun intended) is that inflammation can be reduced dramatically by making modest lifestyle changes.

    Statins do have a place in treating heart disease, but before medical practitioners prescribe a statin whose side-effects can range from an increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes to muscle pain or weakness, headaches, sore throat, sinusitis, nausea, and liver problems, it makes sense to first look at alternative, natural, and inexpensive ways of lowering inflammation in the body.

    Here are 5 steps that you can take immediately to reduce inflammation in your body (and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke):

    1. If you smoke, stop. Smoking unquestionably raises the inflammatory factors in the body and dramatically increases your risk, not only for heart attack and stroke but also for cancers.
    2. Eliminate inflammatory foods and add Omega-3’s to your diet. An anti-inflammatory diet is one that eliminates fatty and fried foods (especially foods containing trans fats and saturated fats) and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in a wide variety of fish, olive oil, and nuts, help reduce inflammation in the body and are also effective in treating arthritis, depression, ADD, and ADHD.
    3. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise (ideally 10,000 steps per day if it is possible) has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and with it, the risk of developing a great number of diseases. If you have limited options right now as many of us do, think creatively. Exercise could be doing your own stairs throughout the day, yoga, bodyweight exercises, even your own living room dance party!
    4. Meditate daily. Meditation helps reduce inflammation by improving the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This axis is responsible for regulating the blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the body’s production of cortisone, an anti-inflammatory hormone.
    5. Make every effort to improve your sleep. More than ever people are having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. A healthy & regular nightly sleep pattern allows your heart rate to slow down and your blood pressure to drop, reducing stress on the heart. Lack of sleep compromises the normal functioning of your immune system, and long-term sleep deprivation causes your body and brain to be in a chronic state of inflammation. This not only increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, but can also increase the risk of obesity, chronic pain, ADD, depression, and anxiety.

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

    What the New High Blood Pressure Numbers Mean For You

    February 19, 2018/in Conditions, Lifestyle/by Kaplan Center

    When the American College of Cardiology (ACC) & American Heart Association (AHA) lowered the numbers that define high blood pressure (HBP) this past November, 46% of the adult population in the United States suddenly met the new criteria – that’s nearly half!

    What was the motivation for making these changes that placed an unwelcomed label on so many people virtually overnight? It rests in the reality that despite the enormous amount of research, outreach, and medical advances, heart disease and stroke still remain 2 of the leading causes of death in men and women in the United States. Broadening the scope of high blood pressure numbers will generate more conversations between patients and health care providers about the associated risks that go with HBP, namely developing heart disease or having a future cardiac event. More importantly, it gives physicians the opportunity to introduce early non-pharmacological intervention methods to a wider population.

    What is High Blood Pressure (HBP)?

    When the blood pressure sleeve tightens around a patient’s arm it is taking two important measurements: the force of blood being pushed against artery walls when the heart pumps (systolic, or top number) and when the heart is at rest between beats (diastolic, or bottom number). These numbers are of particular interest to doctors as they can be an early warning sign of the patient’s risk for a future cardiac event or stroke; the higher the numbers, the higher the risk.

    There are many factors that can elevate blood pressure, age being the most common, but lifestyle (think stress, activity levels, diet, etc…), weight, gender, race, medications, and certain medical conditions can also contribute. When a person is diagnosed as having high blood pressure (also called hypertension) it means very simply that there is too much force on a regular basis putting stress on the heart and blood vessels. Over time this constant, excessive pressure can cause damage to the walls of the arteries and blood vessels, causing them to narrow or leak, creating areas where plaque deposits can accumulate causing hardening and narrowing of the arteries, reducing elasticity, and all the while producing no obvious symptoms.

    According to the American Heart Association, nearly half the population of patients with high blood pressure do not have it under control. This is an alarming statistic as so much is known about the correlation between high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. But the good news is that high blood pressure is something that can be controlled with lifestyle modifications and, when necessary, medications.

    Know Your Numbers!

    The new guidelines stress the importance of proper blood pressure readings by both health care providers and patients. Blood pressure can be easily taken at home with the right device, and knowing your numbers is the first line in prevention!

    Previously, blood pressure measured between 120 – 139 mm Hg was defined as pre-hypertensive, however, this terminology no longer exists. Now, patients diagnosed with having Elevated Blood Pressure are encouraged to look at a number of non-drug interventions as a first approach. These are lifestyle modifications that will not only help lower blood pressure but are positive changes for all aspects of health.

    Non-pharmacological interventions recommended in the new guidelines include:

    • Weight loss
    • Eating a heart-healthy diet
    • Regular exercise
    • Reducing sodium intake
    • Potassium supplementation
    • Stopping or reducing alcohol consumption

    In addition to the recommendations above, there are several mind-body therapies that have also proven effective in lowering blood pressure.

    • A 2013 study shows how a regular Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program was able to reduce both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of participants over a period of 8 weeks.
    • Studies on Pranayama Breathing, a yogic breathing technique, have shown that when practiced regularly it can have significant effects on lowering blood pressure.
    • Slow breathing methods and techniques that impact the interaction between the heart and the brain used in Heart Rate Variable Biofeedback have been shown to reduce stress and have positive effects on the autonomic nervous system. Studies have shown that this can be a successful adjunct therapy in lowering blood pressure levels in pre-hypertensive patients.
    • Yoga, which incorporates low-impact exercise with many of the wonderful stress-reducing elements of meditation, has also shown success as an effective adjunct therapy in patients with hypertension.

    Patients now diagnosed with Stage 1 or Stage 2 Hypertension (HTN) would likely be prescribed anti-hypertensive medication in addition to the lifestyle recommendations above, with dosages and medications varying depending on each patient’s risk assessment and medical history.

    The startling reality is that heart disease is responsible for 1 out of 4 deaths in the U.S. each year. The new guidelines introduce a number of wonderful non-drug therapies that can have an immediate effect on overall health and well-being. By knowing your numbers and taking proactive measures to get heart-healthy today, you can make a significant impact on your health in the future.

    Risks_OTC_Medications

    Understanding the Risks of OTC Painkillers

    March 11, 2015/in Treatments/by Kaplan Center

    5 Problems With Over-the-Counter Painkillers

    By Emily Mann

    Pills you pop every day could be causing serious damage in the long run.

    Aspirin is hailed as a miracle drug, and there’s not a person among us who hasn’t popped an ibuprofen or acetaminophen to deal with achy joints or a crushing headache.

    But if you’re doing that every day, you could be causing long-term damage to your health, says Gary Kaplan, DO, medical director of the Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine and author of a new book called Total Recovery: Solving the Mystery of Chronic Pain and Depression.

    “The biggest misconception people have about over-the-counter painkillers is that they’re completely safe and harmless,” says Dr. Kaplan. “They are neither of the above.” In fact, most over-the-counter painkillers started out as prescription drugs but now are sold at lower doses without your needing to talk to a doctor.

    And they’re all bad in their own way. While Dr. Kaplan does contend that low doses of aspirin (81 milligrams) do have some benefits for people with risk factors for stroke, heart disease and some forms of cancer, larger doses taken daily to deal with the pains of daily living do not. “People pop these things like it’s no big deal,” he says. “If you do this every day, in the majority of people, you’re doing real damage.”

    Before getting into what that damage is, it helps to understand how these medications work. Aspirin, ibuprofen (sold as Advil and Motrin), and naproxen sodium (sold as Aleve) all fall into a class of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs. They work by inhibiting prostaglandin, a hormone that can produce pain and inflammation in response to an infection or injury. Acetaminophen (or Tylenol) falls into a different category and seems to interrupt the pain messages your brain receives.

    #1: Gut ulcerations
    NSAIDs, particularly ibuprofen and aspirin, are rough on your stomach, and they’re just as rough on the lining of your gut. They create ulcerations and inflammation in the gut lining, damage that causes something known as a “leaky gut.” When your gut is leaky, it doesn’t absorb nutrients, which can lead to deficiencies (which can also contribute to pain problems), and problematic proteins and allergens, such as gluten, soy, or egg proteins, can escape, triggering food sensitivities. “Your gut is a very sophisticated filter,” Dr. Kaplan says. “It’s a very complex organ that’s not one to disrupt, but one that we disrupt all the time.”

    Furthermore, NSAIDs disrupt the gut bacteria that control your immune system. As a result, you get sick more frequently and you might develop more chronic ailments.
    Sixty to 80 percent of people develop gut inflammation within 24 hours of taking an NSAID, Dr. Kaplan says, and 50 to 70 percent of people who take them long term will develop chronic small intestine inflammation. And initially that might present as just feelings of bloating, gas or changes in your bowel movements, but over time, you might start experiencing chronic fatigue or develop food intolerances.

    Questions? Give Us a Call!

    703-532-4892 x2

    #2: Liver damage
    Acetaminophen doesn’t cause those gut ulcerations, Dr. Kaplan says. Rather, its problem is that it will damage your liver—sometimes, in unexpected ways. Things like alcohol can interfere with the way your body breaks down acetaminophen, even if you’re taking a normal dose. “That leads to the potential to get a toxic level of acetaminophen in your system, which leads to liver damage,” Dr. Kaplan says. He’s also found that taking too many painkillers that contain caffeine can stress out your liver and interfere with sleep.

    #3: Kidney damage
    Along with your stomach, your kidneys are a major production site of prostaglandins, the hormones that NSAIDs are designed to silence. In addition to controlling the acid secretions in your stomach, prostaglandins help the kidneys fulfill their function of removing proteins and waste from your blood. Too many prostaglandin-inhibiting NSAIDs can interfere with that process, leading to kidney damage and a buildup of toxic waste by-products in your bloodstream. “As soon as we start seeing damage to kidneys, we tell people to get off all anti-inflammatory medications,” Dr. Kaplan says.

    Furthermore, prostaglandin produces inflammation in response to damage your body is experiencing. “Inflammation is not always a bad thing,” he adds. “It’s critical for repair—inflammation cleans up damaged tissue and brings in new cells to repair it. When inflammation gets disrupted, the normal healing process gets disrupted.”

    #4: Heart disease
    You may remember a prescription painkiller called Vioxx that was pulled from the market a few years ago. The reason? It caused heart attacks, and it’s not the only one. “It’s a lower risk than with Vioxx, but all NSAIDs pose a risk,” says Dr. Kaplan. NSAIDs block an enzyme called COX-2, which works with prostaglandin to protect your arteries. When both are silenced by chronic use of over-the-counter painkilllers, your risk of heart disease increases.

    #5: Hypersensitization
    Here’s an ironic fact: Painkillers can heighten your susceptibility to pain. While this phenomenon has been seen mostly with prescription opioids (such as Vicodin or Oxycontin), studies have shown that acetaminophen and NSAIDs can have the same effect on headaches. “It’s called a rebound headache,” Dr. Kaplan says. “They dull your response to pain, so you need more medications to get to the same place. And you end up developing increased sensitivity to pain.”

    So are we all supposed to just grin and bear it if we have a headache or a sore knee? “The occasional use is fine, less than once a week,” Dr. Kaplan advises. “But if you have pain that requires that you take over-the-counter pain medication on a regular basis, you need to seek medical attention.”

    Ultimately, Dr. Kaplan’s beef with painkillers is that they aren’t dealing with deeper health issues. “Doctors have to start looking at pain as a symptom and not the disease,” he says. “We’re better off addressing the problem. We need to understand where the pain is coming from.”

    Published on www.RodaleNews.com on April 11, 2014

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email

    Resources

    • Health & Wellness Blog
    • Events
    • Featured Press
    • Featured Interviews and Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Books
    • eBooks
    • Professional Resources
    • Research

    Do you have questions about The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine?
    Call Us Today!

    703-532-4892, Ext. 2

    Subscribe

    Are you looking to improve your overall wellness?

    Contact Us Today

    Personalized care you can trust.

    Our integrative, non-surgical treatment approach is highly successful in maintaining wellness and also treating chronic pain and illness. For more than 30 years, we have delivered superior, cutting-edge health care in the Washington, DC area.

    QuickLinks

    • Integrative Medicine – McLean, VA – Kaplan Center
    • Conditions
    • Providers
    • Services
    • About
    • Resources
    • Store
    • Contact

    Contact Information

    Tel: 703-532-4892
    Fax: 703-237-3105

    6829 Elm Street, Suite 300
    McLean, Virginia 22101
    Map It

    Hours of Operation
    Mon – Thu : 8 am – 5 pm, ET
    Fri : 8 am – 12 pm, ET

    Copyright 2025 The Kaplan Center. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Patient Portal | The Foundation for Total Recovery
    • Link to Facebook
    • Link to X
    • Link to Youtube
    • Link to LinkedIn
    • Link to Instagram
    Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top