How a daily “health” habit of Trump’s could ultimately kill him
Donald Trump’s health is under renewed scrutiny after he revealed a daily health habit he has been following for decades RadarOnline.com can reveal serious risks, amid warnings from medical experts about bleeding, bruising and potential long-term damage.
The US president, 79, revealed in a recent interview that he takes a ‘large’ aspirin every day – believed to be four times the standard preventive dose now recommended in Britain and the US – despite doctors warning it would need to be reduced.
Trump, who turns 80 in June, discussed the regimen while answering questions about his health after visible bruising on his hand and a diagnosis last year of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood flow in the veins.
Trump said: “They’d rather I take the smaller dose of aspirin. They say aspirin is good for thinning the blood and I don’t want thick blood running through my heart. I want nice, thin blood running through my heart.”
He has also insisted that the routine is non-negotiable, saying it “works for me” after thirty years of use.
Medical specialists said aspirin has clear benefits but warn that higher doses, especially in older adults, increase the risk of internal bleeding and other potentially fatal complications, including stomach ulcers.
Professor Colin Berry, a cardiologist formerly at the British Heart Foundation, said the impact of the drug should always be assessed on an individual basis.
Berry said: “My overall message is that you should only take an aspirin every day if your doctor tells you to. Never take a daily dose without being told to do so by your doctor, who will check the dose regularly.
“In Britain the standard daily dose is 75 mg, while 325 mg is a historical dose.
“The evidence has moved on. If you have been taking aspirin for thirty years without medical intervention, you may not realize that the recommended dose is now 75 mg and that a higher dose is associated with higher risks.”
Berry added: “Daily aspirin can also lead to ulcers and if you have an existing stomach ulcer, even short-term use can make it worse.”
Aspirin is widely used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke because it makes the platelets in the blood less sticky, reducing the chance of clots.
Berry added that there is also growing evidence that it may help prevent certain cancers or reduce recurrence, although this research is still developing.
He said: “There are well-established studies showing benefits for cardiovascular disease and a growing body of evidence around cancer prevention. But dose matters, and the evidence has gone beyond the higher amounts used in the past.”
The standard preventive dose of aspirin is now 75 mg. Higher daily doses have been linked to stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and easy bruising – a problem that drew attention when Trump appeared with a large bruise on his left hand.
The president attributed the mark to hitting his hand on a table, but acknowledged the connection to aspirin.
Trump said, “I take the big aspirin. And when you take the big aspirin, they say you get bruises.”
Researchers have explored alternatives such as clopidogrel, which some studies suggest may further reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke compared to aspirin.
Berry said such options should only be considered under strict medical supervision.
The renewed focus on Trump’s health comes as he continues to brush aside concerns about his age and fitness for office, even as doctors insist that what seemed harmless decades ago could have more serious consequences later in life.
It also comes after experts warn Trump is showing huge signs he is secretly suffering from dementia.
One source said: ‘Trump likes to make simplistic statements, as if he likes to take a ‘large’ dose of a drug because it works for him.
“He doesn’t like nuance, and saying this publicly has huge public health implications because it could encourage other seniors to do the same. But there are also big signs that he is battling dementia.
“That, taking into account his continued ‘heavy’ aspirin use, could spell disaster for him if he develops internal bleeding. It could be a very quick cause of death.”
