How ibuprofen will WRECK your Gains
The short answer
Yes—taking high doses of ibuprofen around your training can blunt the strength and muscle growth you work hard to build. Research in young adults found that high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs compromised both muscle strength and the hypertrophic adaptations from resistance training, so reflexively reaching for NSAIDs after every hard session may quietly work against your goals.
Episode 162 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
How ibuprofen will WRECK your Gains
This week we have Jerred, Joe, and Trampis on the episode. The guys give us their life updates and then dive into this week's study. It's on ibuprofen and how it can compromise your training. One would say it WRECKS your gains! The guys give their takeaways on this one and how they think ibuprofen should or shouldn't be used. This week's Meet Yourself Saturday workout is a classic. It's called the Eo3 5K and requires nothing but your bodyweight. Do yourself a favor and get this one done-no excuses!
What the research says
The study of the week, “High doses of anti-inflammatory drugs compromise muscle strength and hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training in young adults,” looked at how anti-inflammatory medication affects the way muscle responds to lifting. The researchers reported that high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs compromised muscle strength and hypertrophic adaptations compared with a low-dose approach.
The likely explanation is that the inflammatory response after resistance training isn't only a nuisance—it's part of the signaling that drives muscle repair and growth. When you blunt that response with high-dose NSAIDs, you may also blunt some of the adaptation you trained for. That doesn't make ibuprofen the enemy, but it does suggest that habitually leaning on high doses to push through training could cost you progress over time.
How to think about NSAIDs as an athlete
The practical takeaway isn't “never take ibuprofen.” It's to be intentional. Save it for real pain or injury where a doctor recommends it, and avoid using high doses as a routine pre- or post-workout habit just to dull normal soreness. For day-to-day training, prioritize the recovery levers that actually support adaptation: quality sleep, enough protein and total calories, and easy movement on off days. Our Garage Gym Athlete programs are built around training hard and recovering smart so you don't have to mask soreness to keep showing up.
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IN THIS 40-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- Eo3 5K
- Tag Us On Instagram!
- Ibuprofen will WRECK your Gains
- GGA 5K
- New Podcast Format
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
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Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
Frequently asked questions
Does ibuprofen really reduce muscle growth?
The study discussed in this episode found that high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs compromised muscle strength and hypertrophy adaptations to resistance training in young adults. The effect is tied to suppressing the inflammation that helps signal muscle repair, so high, habitual doses are the concern—not a single occasional pill.
Is it okay to take ibuprofen occasionally after training?
Occasional, low-dose use for genuine pain is very different from routinely taking high doses to mask everyday training soreness. If you have a real injury or pain, follow your doctor's guidance; just avoid making high-dose NSAIDs a standing part of your training routine.
What can I use instead of ibuprofen for normal training soreness?
Normal post-workout soreness usually responds best to sleep, adequate protein and calories, hydration, and light active recovery. These support the adaptation process rather than working against it.
Train like an athlete. For life.
Programming built this way: hard when it counts, sustainable the rest of the time.
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