US President Donald Trump is taking more aspirin each day than his doctor recommends, an interview with the Wall Street Journal revealed.
Here’s what we know about President Trump’s aspirin addiction and what happens when you take too much aspirin.
What did President Trump say about taking aspirin?
Trump, 79, told a US newspaper that he takes a higher dose of aspirin each day than his doctor recommends.
The president’s physician, Sean Barbavera, said the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily for heart protection, which is considered the upper limit of the dose for this purpose.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning the blood, but I don’t want thick blood to flow into the heart,” Trump told the newspaper.
“I want thin, good blood flowing through my heart. Does that make sense?”
He added: “It seems like they want me to take the lower (dose) of the drug. I’m on the higher drug, and I’ve been on it for years, and it really just causes bruises.”
President Trump told the newspaper that he has been taking large doses of aspirin for 25 years.
Trump is the second-oldest person to hold the US presidency after Joe Biden. Biden was 82 years old when he left office in January and withdrew from his 2024 re-election campaign amid growing concerns about his health.
Concerns have also been raised about Trump’s health after bruises were discovered on his hands over the summer.
In July, President Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt described as a “benign, common condition” in which damaged veins prevent blood from flowing properly.
Dr. Levitt said the bruises were “consistent with mild soft tissue inflammation from frequent handshakes and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of standard cardiovascular preventive therapy.”
Furthermore, in October, it was reported that President Trump underwent an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test. The White House said the MRI was “precautionary.”
However, the WSJ reported that President Trump and his doctor said he underwent a CT (computed tomography) scan rather than an MRI.
“It was less than that. It was a scan,” Trump said.
What is aspirin?
Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It has antiplatelet, or blood thinning, properties.
It can be purchased over the counter or prescribed by your doctor. It is usually prescribed for pain, fever, and inflammation caused by the immune response to an infection.
Additionally, it helps prevent blood clots from forming, so lower doses are prescribed for people at risk of heart attack or stroke. It does this by inhibiting the production of a substance called thromboxane A2 in platelets, the blood cells responsible for clotting.
Thromboxane signals platelets to aggregate. When there is less thromboxane in the body, blood clots are less likely to form and heart attacks and strokes, which occur when blood clots block blood flow to the heart and brain, respectively, are less likely.
Does aspirin have side effects?
Common side effects of using aspirin include mild indigestion and more bleeding than usual, according to the website of the National Health Service (NHS), Britain’s publicly funded healthcare system.
The website recommends contacting your doctor if you experience any serious side effects, such as coughing up blood or turning the whites of your eyes yellow.
According to the NHS, taking aspirin for a long time or in large amounts can also cause ulcers in the stomach and intestines.
What is a “normal” daily dose of aspirin?
According to the NHS, aspirin is usually available in 300mg tablets and the usual dose for headaches, other aches and fevers is one to two tablets, taken every four to six hours.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that adults ages 40 to 59 who are at risk for cardiovascular disease begin treatment with a much lower dose of aspirin, 81 mg per day.
The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts that reviews medical evidence and issues recommendations regarding preventive health services such as screening, counseling, and medications.
The committee said the cardiovascular benefits of taking aspirin are diminished in older people because the risk of excessive bleeding increases with age.
“For patients who are eligible and choose to start taking aspirin, the benefits diminish with age, and data suggest that clinicians and patients should consider discontinuing aspirin use around age 75,” the USPSTF states.
Health information website Healthline says doctors may recommend between 81mg and 325mg per day for people who have had or are at risk for conditions including heart attacks and strokes.
Can you take too much aspirin?
A Healthline article reviewed by clinical pharmacist Dr. Alan Carter states that if you take more aspirin than your body can eliminate, you can experience aspirin toxicity.
Depending on the amount of aspirin and the person’s weight, this can have mild, moderate, or severe symptoms.
Mild poisoning can occur if less than 300 mg of aspirin per kg of body weight is taken at one time.
Moderate toxicity occurs when aspirin is taken at a dose of 300 mg to 500 mg per kg of body weight. Severe poisoning occurs when aspirin exceeds 500 mg per kg of body weight.
Based on these numbers, a single dose of 45,000mg of aspirin would probably be life-threatening for a 90kg man.
However, depending on the processing capacity of the kidneys and liver, “chronic” toxicity can also occur in people who take aspirin regularly for long periods of time.
Symptoms of aspirin overdose include a burning sore throat, decreased urination, double vision, drowsiness, fever, hallucinations, irritability, restlessness, ringing in the ears or inability to hear, seizures, abdominal pain, uncontrollable shaking, and vomiting.
Aspirin overdose can lead to death within a day. If taken in excess, it can make the blood dangerously acidic and disrupt the body’s normal functions. Fluid may build up in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Your body temperature increases, which can cause your heart, kidneys, and other organs to malfunction.
