How Much Ibuprofen to Take to Stop Period
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- A viral tweet by @girlziplocked says that ibuprofen reduces menstrual flow by 50 percent, and the vibe is very much "WTF, why didn't anyone tell me?"
- Famous Twitter personality and ob-gyn Jen Gunter, MD, also replied to the thread backing this news as fact.
- First of all, WHAT?????? WHY IS THIS NOT COMMON KNOWLEDGE?
This past weekend, my jaw dropped when I read a tweet by @girlziplocked that said ibuprofen reduces menstrual flow by 50 percent. I certainly did not know that ibuprofen helps reduce the actual volume of shed menstrual blood—I only thought it helped with cramps.
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So then, when I saw that ob-gyn and Twitter personality Dr. Jen Gunter replied to the thread, adding that she's been preaching about this fact for a while, I was PISSED.
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Why had I not heard of this before? Who has been keeping these secrets from me?
To triple confirm, I reached out to some ob-gyns for the receipts on just how effective ibuprofen is for reducing your flow. The verdict: Ibuprofen does reduce blood flow during your period.
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, or NSAID, which reduces the amount of blood loss by causing a decline in the rate of prostaglandin synthesis in the lining of the uterus, explains ob-gyn Eduardo Hariton, MD. The decline in prostaglandin synthesis leads your blood vessels to constrict, which reduces bleeding. (BTW, prostaglandins also cause period poops.)
"Results are unique to each woman, but I'd say, on average, a woman may experience 30 percent less bleeding if she takes 800 mg of ibuprofen (four over-the-counter pills) three times a day, ideally starting right before or when her period starts," adds Heather Beall, MD, an ob-gyn with Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital.
Obviously, that sounds like a lot of meds, and anything in excess is not good. Going overboard and taking too much ibuprofen or any other NSAID could lead to gastrointestinal side effects as well as other adverse effects, notes Dr. Hariton. (Taking ibuprofen with food may help lessen these though.)
If just decreasing blood is your main concern, ibuprofen is not the most effective.
And yes, if just decreasing blood flow is your main concern, ibuprofen is not the most effective. A 1991 study found that another NSAID called mefenamic acid can reduce blood flow by 20 to 40 percent, says Dr. Hariton. But mefenamic acid is only available via prescription and is not the default NSAID most doctors prescribe because ibuprofen is more easily accessible, and even then, there are simply better, more effective options out there, according to Dr. Hariton.
Ibuprofen is like the "first line of defense" for unwanted period symptoms.
In other words, ibuprofen is like the "first line of defense" for unwanted period symptoms, says Dr. Beall. But for more seriously heavy flows, birth-control pills can help decrease the amount of bleeding (which is why you may also have fewer cramps too). In any case, check with your doctor before starting a new medication (even if it's over the counter) to make sure you're a good candidate for it.
Honestly? I had to haphazardly see this on Twitter—and confirm it with three experts—to get the facts. The idea that all of this isn't common knowledge is disappointing. Women should be hearing this from their own doctors, because if I knew that my periods could be lighter by popping a few ibuprofen, I'd definitely be more inclined to pack Advil with me.
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Carina Hsieh Sex & Relationships Editor Carina Hsieh lives in NYC with her French Bulldog Bao Bao — follow her on Instagram and Twitter • Candace Bushnell once called her the Samantha Jones of Tinder • She enjoys hanging out in the candle aisle of TJ Maxx and getting lost in Amazon spirals.
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How Much Ibuprofen to Take to Stop Period
Source: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a30611276/ibuprofen-reduce-menstrual-flow/
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