Aspirin: A Good Pre-Workout Supplement?

Aspirin Bodybuilding … maybe two words that should not be mixed too often.

Question:
Dear Marc,
Do blood thinners such as aspirin and the like affect / effect the muscle building process?  I am a 56 year old male that REALLY needs to get into better shape.
Thanks for the great site.
Dave
Answer:
Dave,
Before I discuss Aspirin or as it’s called, Salicylate, I want to stress that in all cases I NEVER recommend over the counter medications without first obtaining medical approval from a qualified medical professional.
Aspirin works on many levels.

Aspirin Bodybuilding Potential Benefits

First, it can improve the body’s blood flow.  Even as little as 30mg prior to training can thin the blood enough where the muscles are more exposed to greater amounts of nutrient carrying blood.  This can speed up recovery between sets and reps.
Second, lactic acid and other waste products that result from heavy training can be flushed away from the muscles with greater speed and efficiency.
Aspirin can reduce the swelling as a result of hard training.  Tissue damage caused by swelling is the culprit from prolonged healing times.  Really recovery doesn’t happen until the swelling has gone down.  Then your body starts to recover.
Third, Aspirin can reduce the pain associated the above tissue damage and swelling.  People say that using aspirin can make a difference between an okay workout a really great workout.  Using aspirin and some other recovery methods can lead to greater recovery which leads to faster progression.
Research has shown the low doses of aspirin work just as well as larger doses.
This means you would want to find the lowest possible aspirin bodybuilding dose that does the job.
Crushing the aspirin and mixing it with milk before a workout helps protect your stomach lining and improves absorption.
I’ve read that your body can develop a tolerance to aspirin.  So if you do use it, only do it during your hardest workouts.  Not something you’d take every day with every workout. Aspirin bodybuilding advice can be tossed around by people you do not know or their qualifications that are not versed in your situation.
Again I must caution you and remind you that I do not recommend any over the counter medications without you first obtaining medical clearance.
Hope this helps.  I would consult a doctor about this and not just read about free stuff on the net or take my advice.  Go talk to a doctor before you do any such thing.
Be Fit, Stay Strong!
Marc David – CPT