Ibuprofen Increases Markers of Intestinal Barrier Injury But Suppresses Inflammation at Rest and After Exercise in Hypoxia

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute ibuprofen consumption (2 × 600-mg doses) on markers of enterocyte injury, intestinal barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) distress at rest and after exercise in hypobaric hypoxia. Methods Using a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, nine men (age, 28 ± 3 yr; weight, 75.4 ± 10.5 kg; height, 175 ± 7 cm; body fat, 12.9% ± 5%; V̇O 2 peak at 440 torr, 3.11 ± 0.65 L·min −1 ) completed a total of three visits including baseline testing and two experimental trials (placebo and ibuprofen) in a hypobaric chamber simulating an altitude of 4300 m. Preexercise and postexercise blood samples were assayed for intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), ileal bile acid binding protein, soluble cluster of differentiation 14, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β, and interleukin-10. Intestinal permeability was assessed using a dual sugar absorption test (urine lactulose-to-rhamnose ratio). Results Resting I-FABP (906 ± 395 vs 1168 ± 581 pg·mL −1 ; P = 0.008) and soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (1512 ± 297 vs 1642 ± 313 ng·mL −1 ; P = 0.014) were elevated in the ibuprofen trial. Likewise, the urine lactulose-to-rhamnose ratio (0.217 vs 0.295; P = 0.047) and the preexercise to postexercise change in I-FABP (277 ± 308 vs 498 ± 479 pg·mL −1 ; P = 0.021) were greater in the ibuprofen trial. Participants also reported greater upper GI symptoms in the ibuprofen trial ( P = 0.031). However, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( P = 0.007) and TNF-α ( P = 0.047) were lower throughout the ibuprofen trial compared with placebo (main effect of condition). Conclusions These data demonstrate that acute ibuprofen ingestion aggravates markers of enterocyte injury and intestinal barrier dysfunction at rest and after exercise in hypoxia. However, ibuprofen seems to suppress circulating markers of inflammation.