Does taking NSAIDs before exercise improve performance and recovery? Original paper

In this randomized crossover trial in participants without apparent health conditions, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs before performing resistance exercise did not meaningfully affect exercise performance or exercise recovery.

Whether taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) improves exercise performance and/or recovery.

The outcomes assessed were total work, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, maximal voluntary contraction force of the quadriceps, vertical jump height, and muscle soreness.

12 adults (ages 18–42; 10 men, 2 women) without apparent health conditions who exercised at least twice per week.

In this randomized crossover study, the participants completed the same exercise session on 4 occasions, which consisted of 10 sets of 10 repetitions with 40% of 1-repetition maximum on a leg press device.

Two hours before each exercise session, the participants took either ibuprofen (800 mg), celecoxib (200 mg), flurbiprofen (100 mg), or a placebo, followed by the consumption of a standardized breakfast. The exercise sessions were separated by at least 7 days, and the participants were instructed not to exercise for at least 48 hours before and after each exercise session.

Maximal voluntary contraction force, vertical jump height, and muscle soreness were assessed before exercise and 4 hours and 24 hours after exercise. Muscle soreness was evaluated in the shoulder, quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and calf using a visual analog scale.

Celecoxib attenuated the decrease in maximal voluntary contraction force 4 hours after exercise compared to the placebo. There were no other differences between groups.