What is known about the best dose and type of aspirin to take?

The exact dose of aspirin that is best for people to take is not yet known. Most people take 150-300mg a day, but the exact amount depends on your age and weight. If you are taking 75mg of aspirin, you might want to speak to your GP or genetics service to check this is still the best dose for you.

A study called CaPP3 is going on at the moment to compare different doses. The results are expected in 2025.

The higher the dose, the more likely you are to get side effects. But a lower dose might not work so well at reducing the chance of bowel cancer.

You can talk to your GP or genetics service about the best dose for you. The dose can always be changed later on if needed.

Type of aspirin

Some people like to take enteric coated aspirin, which has a special coating to stop it dissolving in your stomach. There is no evidence about whether this helps avoid side effects or not. It’s also fine to use dissolvable aspirin if you like.

If your GP agrees that it is right for you to take aspirin, you may want to buy your aspirin as that is usually cheaper than having it on prescription, if you pay for prescriptions. However, it’s still important that your GP knows what dose you are taking so this can be recorded in your records.