Sure, most OTC painkillers can effectively knock out your cramps, headache, and many other pesky aches. But there may be an even better reason to pop those pills—and make sure they contain aspirin: new research shows that regularly taking an aspirin-based pain reliever may reduce your risk of the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths among women—ovarian cancer.
The recent Danish study of 2,320 women between the ages of 35 and 79 (including 756 with ovarian cancer of varying severity) found that women who took aspirin two or more times per week for longer than a month were less likely to develop ovarian cancer than those who typically took non-aspirin pain relievers, or none at all.
Aspirin’s cancer-fighting power comes from its anti-inflammatory effects, which reduce the chronic inflammation suspected to play a role in the development of cancer, says study author Susanne Krüger Kjær, M.D., of the Danish Cancer Society Research Center and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Copenhagen University Hospital, both in Copenhagen, Denmark. So why were non-aspirin pain relievers—which may also reduce inflammation—found to be less effective at curbing cancer? “This may reflect differences in the way these drugs induce their effect on inflammation,” says Kjær.
The medicine cabinet staple boasts even more beyond-the-label benefits. While the OTC drug won’t necessarily shield women from heart disease, it could help reduce men’s risk of heart attack. And for women ages 55 to 79, the U.S. Preventive Task Force recommends taking regular doses of the aspirin to stave off strokes. (Younger than 55? Strokes are more common than ever among younger women. Here’s how to reduce your stroke risk.)
So are the virtues of aspirin reason enough to start popping pills as if they’re candy? Kjær says the protective effects should be balanced against possible adverse effects, such as risk of bleeding and peptic ulcers.
Want to slash your ovarian cancer risk the safe way? Begin with these tips.
More from WH:
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
Foods That Lower Your Cancer Risk
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do
Heal your body with seven simple strategies for age-reversing, lifesaving weight loss and optimal health from The South Beach Diet Wake-Up Call: 7 Real-Life Strategies for Living Your Healthiest Life Ever. Buy the book today!