What to take instead of that "aspirin a day" Q: At my former doctor's recommendation, I used to take an aspirin every day to lower my risk of blood clots. However, I recently switched doctors and now see a naturopathic physician, who told me to discontinue taking aspirin immediately and recommended a long list of natural supplements with the same abilities instead. I'm just wondering if aspirin is really that bad that I need to give up the convenience of taking one tablet a day in favor of a dozen supplements? JVW: It may be easier, but, yes, it really is that bad: Aspirin is a formerly patented molecule, never found in human bodies or nature before the 1890s, so any good it may do will inevitably be offset by unwanted side effects. Recently, researchers reported a more specific hazard of long-term aspirin use: Greater risk of pancreatic cancer. As you likely know, pancreatic cancer has a reputation as "the toughest cancer there is." The survival rate is close to zero, and many victims are dead within a few months of diagnosis. But there's a much better alternative for getting all of the supposed benefits of aspirin, and it doesn't involve taking handfuls of supplements. I've written about it many times before, so I'll just mention it briefly here: fish oil. For cardiovascular disease prevention, take 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons daily. Just be sure to take 400 IU of vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols) for each tablespoonful of fish oil, and look for a fish oil with vitamins A and D included.
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