The Use of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Implications for Skeletal Muscle Development

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is a common condition resulting from a bout of vigorous exercise, particularly if the individual is unaccustomed to performance of the given movement. Symptoms of EIMD include delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and a loss of physical function. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are routinely prescribed post-exercise to alleviate these symptoms and restore normal physical function. Of potential concern for those who use NSAIDs to treat EIMD is the possibility that they may impair the adaptive response to exercise. Specifically, there is emerging evidence that the action of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes, and COX-2 in particular, are important and even necessary to achieve maximal skeletal muscle hypertrophy in response to functional overload. Given that NSAIDs exert their actions by blocking COX and thus suppressing prostaglandin production, a theoretical rationale exists whereby these drugs may have detrimental effects on muscle regeneration and supercompensation. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to extensively review the literature and evaluate the effects of NSAIDs on muscle growth and development. Based on current evidence, there is little reason to believe that the occasional use of NSAIDs will negatively affect muscle growth, although the efficacy for their use in alleviating inflammatory symptoms remains questionable. Evidence on the hypertrophic effects of the chronic use of NSAIDs is less clear. In those who are untrained, it does not appear that regular NSAID use will impede growth in the short term, and at least one study indicates that it may in fact have a positive impact. Given their reported impairment of satellite cell activity, however, longer-term NSAID use may well be detrimental, particularly in those who possess greater growth potential.