Former US President Donald Trump, 79, revealed that he takes a daily dose of aspirin exceeding what his doctors recommended, explaining the frequent appearance of bruises on his hands.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump stated that he believes aspirin helps thin his blood.
Trump said:
- “They say aspirin is good for the blood, and I don’t want to have thick blood going through my heart. I want to have thin blood, and it makes sense.”
- “The doctors would rather have you take a baby aspirin.”
- “I actually take a bigger dose… but I’ve been doing it for years, and one of the things that happens is you do get little cuts.”
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barapila, confirmed that Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily.
The Mayo Clinic indicates that a low dose of aspirin is usually between 75 and 100 milligrams, with a common recommendation of 81 milligrams to reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
Medical experts warn that aspirin may reduce blood clotting but also increases the risk of bleeding, especially in the elderly.
In recent years, many health guidelines have stopped recommending daily aspirin use for older adults.
Trump Overdoes Aspirin
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., stated that the dose Trump takes is usually unnecessary.
Reiner explained to CNN: “Aspirin has been studied at different doses, and the reason we give 81 milligrams is that it seems to provide the best combination of protection from clotting and drug-induced bleeding. In other words, a 325-milligram dose increases the risk of bleeding without increasing its effectiveness. So we never use it.”
Trump’s health has garnered widespread attention in recent months after images surfaced showing visible bruises on his hands, sometimes covered with makeup or bandages, according to the American website “Health Day.”
The White House had previously stated that these marks were a result of frequent handshakes and aspirin use.
