The findings of a recently conducted study seem to indicate that taking some common over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers may improve muscle mass when taken during a weight-training program. The study was conducted with the elderly in mind but the beneficial effect of the OTC medications may prove beneficial to astronauts, too. They experience decreased muscle mass during extended periods of weightlessness when in orbit.

The study involved a group of 36 men and women, aged 60 to 78, who enlisted in a three-month weight-training program that required 15 to 20 minutes of exercise three times a week. The study participants were divided into three groups, with one group taking the manufacturer’s recommended dosage of ibuprofen, commonly marketed as Advil; a second group taking the manufacturer’s recommended dosage of acetaminophen, commonly marketed as Tylenol; and a third group taking a placebo. The study was random so neither participants nor researchers knew who was taking which medication until the end of the study.

The study, including the weight training sessions, took place at the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University. The study was led by Dr. Todd Trappe, who used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), considered the gold standard for measuring muscle mass of the quadriceps.

Participants in the placebo group developed more muscle mass during the study period and their level of strength improved, too. This was the expected outcome. But the participants taking the OTC medications showed significant increases in both muscle mass and strength, surpassing the gains in the placebo group. Biopsies of the muscles of the study participants are now being analyzed to determine the exact metabolic mechanism that allowed the ibuprofen and acetaminophen to boost muscle mass so remarkably.

Dr. Chad Carroll, a member of the Trappe research team, presented the findings of the study at the April 6 meeting of Experimental Biology 2008 in San Diego. The National Institutes of Health and an award from APS helped fund the study.

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology