Advertisement
Why NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen might be bad news for long distance runners
NSAIDs strain the kidneys, as does endurance running, and many race organisers advise against taking the anti-inflammatories during events
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
While planning to run an ultra-marathon along the historic Silk Road, Ria Xi was alarmed when AI warned her about taking NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – while ultra-running.
She jumped onto Instagram to tell her 38,000 followers “do not take NSAIDs” when running long distances because of the impact they can have on blood flow to the kidneys.
Beijing-born Xi was prompted to make the “public service announcement” after she had previously been told, while seeking treatment for knee pain as she trained for her first ultra-marathon, that taking NSAIDs during long races was OK.
Advertisement
“I went to see a physio one week before I ran and he was like, ‘We can’t fix it now but because you really want to finish it, just take some diclofenac [an NSAID] with you in case you need to get through some parts that are too difficult.’ To me, that was acceptable enough,” she says.
Like many endurance runners, Xi assumed NSAIDs were a reasonable way to manage pain. But as her training progressed for the Silk Road race, she asked ChatGPT for information on supplements.
Advertisement
“It told me to avoid NSAIDs use for pain and inflammation because it can cause kidney strain,” she says.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x