Question: I have taken a daily aspirin for years, but I have irritable bowel syndrome and I’m wondering if the aspirin could be making it worse. What do you think?
Dr. Cwynar's answer:
Aspirin affects pH of the gut. It can cause bacterial overgrowth, bleeds, and leaky gut, to mention just a few GI disturbances linked to aspirin. If you feel you must take aspirin daily because of it's heart-protective qualities, please switch to a low-dose baby aspirin. Make sure you take your aspirin with daily probiotics. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol can make aspirin-related stomach problems worse, so you should avoid them.