Folate (folic acid) deficiency impairs DNA synthesis in rapidly dividing cells, which leads to megaloblastic anemia characterized by enlarged red blood cells, fatigue, pallor, and sometimes shortness of breath. Population studies have shown that folate deficiency and macrocytosis can be present for months before overt symptoms appear, and in some cohorts, up to roughly one quarter of anemic adults had an underlying folate or B12 deficiency rather than iron deficiency alone. The encouraging clinical point is that, once identified, folate‑responsive megaloblastic anemia often improves within weeks of adequate folic acid repletion, with reticulocyte counts rising in about 5–7 days and hemoglobin recovering more gradually over several weeks. This medication is commonly used for Pain Management.
Koury MJ, Price JO, Hicks GG. Apoptosis in megaloblastic anemia occurs during DNA synthesis by a p53-independent, nucleoside-reversible mechanism. Blood. 2000 Nov 1;96(9):3249-55. Daniel S. Socha, MD, Sherwin I. DeSouza, MD, Aron Flagg, MD, Mikkael Sekeres, MD, MS and Heesun J. Rogers, MD, PhD. Severe megaloblastic anemia: Vitamin deficiency and other causes. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine March 2020, 87 (3) 153-164. H.B. Castellanos-Sinco, et al. Megaloblastic anaemia: Folic acid and vitamin B12 metabolism. Revista Médica del Hospital General de México. Vol. 78. Issue 3. Pages 105-150 (July - September 2015). Anis Hariz, et al. Megaloblastic Anemia. StatPearls April 3, 2023.
Some side effects may be linked to nutrient depletion caused by this medication.
Regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen may decrease your folic acid (folate) levels. This is because NSAIDs can interfere with how your body processes folate. If you take OTC pain relievers regularly, consider folate supplementation to avoid potential deficiencies.
Recent suggests that damage caused by free radicals in tissues plays a role in stomach ulcers (gastric mucosal lesions) caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen. Based on this, it was investigated whether the amino acid taurine could protect the stomach lining from ibuprofen-induced damage. The study also examined the effects of taurine on the stomach's natural antioxidant defenses, including enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as a molecule called glutathione (GSH). It found that giving taurine orally for three days in a row protected the rats' stomach linings from the ulcers caused by ibuprofen. Additionally, taurine significantly reduced a marker of free radical damage (lipid peroxidation) in the ibuprofen-treated rats.