Got Aches and Pains? Too Much Tylenol Might Make Your Liver Hurt

Filed in archive News , Studies , Treatment on July 12, 2006

CNN.com reports that taking too much Tylenol can damage to your liver. Apparently, even the recommended dosage may be too much for some people, especially those who already have liver damage or regularly consume large amounts of alcohol.

Dr. Neil Kaplowitz, of the University of Southern California, and his colleague Dr. Paul Watkins, of the University of North Carolina, recently published their Tylenol study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers had 106 healthy adult participants take eight extra strength Tylenol tablets every day for two weeks. Some participants took Tylenol by itself, some paired it with an opioid painkiller, and some took placeboes. While no one in the placebo group showed significant liver damage after the two weeks were up, about 40 percent of the participants in the other two groups had abnormal liver test results that indicated damage.

According to CNN's article, Dr. Kaplowitz recommends no more than four grams of Tylenol for most healthy adults. He believes that those who are heavy alcohol drinkers should limit their Tylenol usage to no more than two grams per day. Dr. Watkins seemed less concerned than Kaplowitz, recognizing that acetaminophen, which is Tylenol's active ingredient, has had a good safety record in the fifty years it's been available to consumers. McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals, which is Tylenol's maker, reports that its own research has found lower rates of liver damage in regular users.

Acetaminophen is a very popular over the counter painkiller. It can also be found in a host of other medications available over the counter and by prescription. While Tylenol's parent company swears by the drug's safety, I have recently noticed several televised public service announcements warning consumers not to take more than the recommended dosage. This research is yet another reminder to the public that just because a medication is available over the counter, that doesn't mean it can't be dangerous when it's abused.

About the author: In her spare time, knotheadus writes for Epinions.com and maintains her own Web site, knot-heads.com.