I just came across a query asking “Does Ibuprofen Make You Last Longer in Bed,” which indicates that some people think that painkillers can improve sexual performance.
Other than the fact that you can use painkillers like Ibuprofen for sex-related pains if you suffer them, I do not see any link between using NSAIDs and improving sexual performance and stamina.
Anyway, I looked into it for you to see if I could discover solid proof that taking Ibuprofen will prolong your sex life.
What is Ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is a drug that lessens pain by reducing inflammation. It might assist you in falling asleep if you are having trouble dozing off due to discomfort and inflammation, but it is not a sleep aid in and of itself.
Due to its extremely harmful effect on the mucosal lining of the gut and stomach, it is not advised for frequent usage unless your doctor advises it. Along with other issues, it might result in bleeding ulcers and lasting harm.
Even for my arthritis, doctors advise against using more than 1200 mg every day. That is six typical 200 mg tablets. Many individuals believe that a drug is safe if it can be purchased over the counter.
However, NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines) can be exceedingly dangerous if used excessively or for lengthy periods of time. Another over-the-counter medication that might harm the liver and kidneys permanently is Tylenol (acetaminophen).
How Does Ibuprofen Work?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) ibuprofen is used to treat fever, discomfort, and inflammation in several medical conditions. In order to understand how Ibuprofen works, you should be aware of the problems they produce.
Prostaglandins, which are derivatives of arachidonic acid, are released during inflammation, pain, and fever. However, because prostaglandins have cytoprotective effects on the mucosa linings of the stomach, this does not imply that they are dangerous.
They also have a role in the regulation of blood flow, platelet function, and renal function.
Phospholipase A2 releases arachidonic acid from the phospholipids of the cell membrane, where it is then changed into an unstable intermediate by Prostaglandin (PG) H2 cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes.
PGD2, PGE2, PGF2a, PGI2, and thromboxane TXA2 are other prostaglandins that are generated from PGH2 by tissue-specific enzymes and act as mediators of inflammation, pain, and fever.
There are two different types of the cyclooxygenase enzyme:
- COX-1 and
- COX-2
The actions outlined in the preceding sentence are performed by COX-1, which is constantly present in the GI tract, kidney, platelets, and blood vessels.
Because it is activated by inflammatory mediators such as interleukins, bradykinin, and TNF-a and plays a role in inflammation, pain, and fever, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is typically found near sites of inflammation.
Ibuprofen’s ability to temporarily inhibit the COX enzyme, preventing the formation of prostanoids, gives it anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects. The COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes are both inhibited by this non-selective inhibitor.
However, its therapeutic effects are mostly brought about by the inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme, whereas the inhibition of the COX-1 enzyme results in undesirable side effects as GI discomfort.
How Long Does Ibuprofen Take to Work?
The maximal blood concentration is obtained between 1 and 2 hours after intake, depending on the individual. However, the pain-relieving effect normally takes around 30 minutes to manifest.
It also depends on whether the pain is acute or chronic and what caused it. Ibuprofen blocks the enzyme that makes prostaglandins, which is how it works (some of which are inflammatory and lead to pain).
It can take longer for you to experience pain relief if your body already produces a lot of prostaglandins where the pain is coming from.
The effect, however, happens more quickly if you take pain medication as soon as a headache appears since you don’t have to wait for as much pro-inflammatory cytokine breakdown.
While you wait for the effects of the ibuprofen, it may be helpful to take a centrally acting pain reliever like paracetamol (they can be taken at the same time).
Side Effects of Ibuprofen
Between 1 and 10 percent of those who use ibuprofen experience drowsiness as a side effect. But unless you are in agony, it’s unlikely that ibuprofen will make you fall asleep, as other people have noted.
If you have difficulties falling asleep, consider ensuring that you are tired in the evening by rising early and being active.
Is Taking Ibuprofen Safe?
If taken in moderation, ibuprofen is relatively safe. If taken on an empty stomach, higher than a specific dosage may cause heartburn in some people. You can consume more of it at once if you combine it with food or a glass of water.
For instance, it’s no problem for me to take two (200 mg) tablets along with a glass of water. But I frequently get heartburn after three or four. If I need more, I stagger the doses apart by around 45 minutes.
If you use ibuprofen regularly for a long time, it may raise your risk of developing heart disease. No issue if you only take it infrequently, like once or twice a month.
Warning About Taking Ibuprofen
For years on end, millions of people with arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis have taken NSAIDs like ibuprofen, with the only adverse effect worth mentioning being stomach bleeding, with a risk of 0.012 percent (see Gastrointestinal Tract Bleeding Associated With Naproxen Sodium vs Ibuprofen).
Therefore, those who have experienced stomach issues should refrain from using NSAIDs, and those who are at high risk are advised to use a proton pump inhibitor to stop such bleedings.
If you are dehydrated (vomiting, diarrhea), avoid taking NSAIDs since this could harm your kidneys. NSAIDs should be completely avoided in individuals with only one kidney to be on the safe side.
Ibuprofen shouldn’t be taken in conjunction with acetylsalicylic acid if the patient has coronary heart disease because it inhibits the positive impact of acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin®) on platelet aggregation.
According to The American Journal of Medicine, chronic NSAID users experienced 4.4 primary events compared to non-chronic NSAID users’ 3.7 primary events (being all-cause deaths, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke).
What are The Different Uses of Ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory medication that is non-steroid and also has an antipyretic effect. As a result, it reduces pain, inflammation, and a raised body temperature. It is mostly used to treat inflammation-related illnesses such as the flu, arthritis, and fevers.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, advanced chronic renal or liver disease, gastric and duodenal ulcers, GI hemorrhage, and these conditions are all contraindications.
Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, primary dysmenorrhea, tooth discomfort, musculoskeletal diseases, fever, and migraines are among the conditions it can treat. It can also be used to treat psoriatic arthritis, bone discomfort, and cystic fibrosis.
Can Ibuprofen Make You Last Longer in Bed?
Like all other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines), ibuprofen won’t extend your time in the bedroom as a guy. Ibuprofen is only a pain reliever and has nothing to do with enhancing sex desire or curing erectile dysfunction in terms of sex.
Why Ibuprofen is Bad For Your Sex life & Fertility
Researchers discovered that long-term use of the common pain reliever can also cause muscle loss, depression, and erectile dysfunction, all of which can reduce sex drive.
The guys, who ranged in age from 18 to 35, had compensated hypogonadism, a disorder characterized by sexual hormone malfunction.
This has an impact on the sex hormones that control testosterone production. It is frequently discovered in older males and in people who have reproductive issues.
With only four weeks remaining on the 600mg twice-daily dosage, the males only experienced the condition a third of the way through the research.
As patients used the medication, levels of luteinizing hormone, which increases the creation of testosterone, rose, but overall testosterone levels decreased.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen discovered that after the 31 participants stopped taking the painkillers, they recovered. In a lab, testicular cells were also investigated.
This study is thought to be the first of its type to demonstrate how ibuprofen can harm testicular health.
Researchers cautioned that males who use the medication to treat their sporadic headaches are unlikely to experience any negative side effects.
However, people who use ibuprofen for prolonged pain relief, particularly those who suffer from chronic pain, may be at risk for compensated hypogonadism.
Does Ibuprofen affect sildenafil?
Ibuprofen, also known as Advil, can inhibit the body’s production of prostaglandins, a chemical structure that causes feelings of pain.
As a result, ibuprofen can affect how effective sildenafil is because both of these medications depend on the same physiological pathway to function.
Additionally, it is not suggested to take ibuprofen and sildenafil simultaneously because ibuprofen has been linked to erectile dysfunction due to its ability to restrict blood flow to the genitalia.
You also need to be aware that ibuprofen can reduce your ability to keep an erection for an extended period of time.
Ibuprofen and other over-the-counter painkillers might impede the liver’s ability to metabolize sildenafil, which may lead you to overdose on sildenafil since you believe it is ineffective.
This can result in symptoms including nausea, vomiting, chest pain, fainting spells, and more.
Ibuprofen and sildenafil have been shown in studies to treat erectile dysfunction, but taking too much ibuprofen can cause low blood pressure, which can make it difficult to erect while taking sildenafil.
To treat erectile dysfunction, ibuprofen can be taken in addition to other drugs like sildenafil (Viagra). Ibuprofen can drop blood pressure, which may counteract sildenafil’s ability to cause erections, but taking too much of it can have the opposite effect.
