Paracetamol: Friend or foe?
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:31Headaches, stomach aches, backaches… Whatever discomfort you are feeling, you can always count on paracetamol but could the drug be dangerous?
Paracetamol is inherently paradoxical — it’s the world’s most popular painkiller yet sadly enough, it’s one we don’t really trust. The pain reliever can be a life saver but other times it could be your worst nightmare.
We don’t hesitate to swallow the small yet potent pill on an empty stomach to relieve our stomach ache, or after a drunken night to avoid having a hangover, or as soon as we feel a slight headache. Paracetamol (marketed by brands like Tylenol, Advil or the sort) is even recommended by the World Health Organization as your first aid treatment.
But according to the study recently published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, consuming a certain dose of the drug is tied to an increased risk of mortality. This is true for 63% of those who regularly consume 3g of paracetamol per day.
An enemy to your liver, heart and kidney
We’ve all heard how consuming too much of paracetamol could cause liver disfunction that might lead to the need of organ transplant. Regular consumption also boosts the risk of developing ulcers as well as cardiovascular diseases (including stroke and hypertension). Moreover, this little drug would double the risk of kidney problems you take over 500g of paracetamol throughout your life.
Think about these three organs the next time you look for a quick way out of that migraine or stomach ache. Paracetamol is the frenemy you shouldn’t spend too much time with.
Source : Paracetamol : not safe as we thought ? A systematic literature review of observational studies, March 2, 2015
Maureen Diament and Natasha Gan
