Hi peeps!
A new study published online November 22 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology shed some new light on the use of Tylenol.
It doesn’t look pretty in this new light.
I know it would be easier to turn the light off, but instead, let’s shine a spotlight on Tylenol so that we can help spread awareness, and then lets talk about all the positive wonderful alternatives there are out there.
Okay, here is the low down. Taking just a tiny amount more Tylenol then recommended, on a chronic basis, may lead to death. And if not death, brain injury requiring artificial ventilation and liver injury requiring dialysis are increased outcomes as well.
This large study, which followed 663 patients admitted for liver injury from 1992 – 2008, showed that folks who repeatedly took Tylenol doses just *slightly* higher than recommended had brain injury, liver damage, and an increased risk of death. This was compared to the patients that were admitted for taking a single massive overdose, and the shocking findings were that miniscule, chronic overdoses had a worse outcome then those taking massive overdoses.
Hold up, what? Yes. Taking just one extra Tylenol pill a day on a routine basis is harder on your body then a massive overdose.
So liver problems, brain problems, and an increased risk of death, from chronic doses that are only ONE EXTRA TYLENOL PILL a day. That’s all it takes to exceed the recommended safe dosage. So we aren’t talking about a large amount of Tylenol… we are talking one extra pill.
The number one reason patients cited for taking a little extra Tylenol then recommended was pain. So they are in chronic pain and hoping that taking one or two extra Tylenol each day will help. This seems completely reasonable and I’m sure many folks… folks that we know and love… are doing this exact thing.
Let’s crunch the numbers: Tylenol comes in 325 mg pills, and the adult dosage is to take 2 (650 mg) as frequently as every 4 hours. This adds up to a total of 3900 mg of Tylenol a day.
The dose that caused the brain and liver damage? The dose that increased artificial ventilation, dialysis, and death rates? Anything over 4000 mg a day. Okay, that’s 100 mg over the quantity listed on the label. Considering each pill is 325 mg… we are talking just one extra pill a day. Less then one, if you want to be honest. Taking a third of a pill each day extra is TOO MUCH.
This study was conducted in adults, but the scary thing to me is using Tylenol for babies and children. Folks whose brains and livers are still developing.
Does any parent really *know* their child’s EXACT weight on any given day? My sweet children are the offspring of two physicians and yet I can say I have never been 100% certain of their weight when dosing medication to them.
If a tiny overdose, adding just one small *fraction* of a dose to their intake, can cause problems… how is this avoidable? Tylenol is frequently used for fever in young children… and I’m thinking that many parents, who are trying to bring down a high fever in their child, might give a slightly higher dose of Tylenol, thinking that it will help reduce the fever faster.
Done over a long period of time, the findings show this causes more damage than a single *massive* overdose. YIKES!!!!
Step away from the Tylenol, folks.
Let’s turn our attention to what we can do to reduce inflammation and fever instead of taking Tylenol.
My depiction of relief… sweet relief… “Angel At High Tide”
Here is a good start:
1.) For chronic pain, fish oil (or krill oil) is a head to toe anti-inflammatory and soother that works every organ… from your skin to your brain. Boasting many many benefits beyond decreasing pain, I recommend taking your Omega 3′s every single day, whether you are in pain or not.
2.) For chronic or acute inflammation… so yes, everything from your chronic knee pain to your acute tension headache… you just can’t beat grounding. Laying on the earth. Laying directly on the earth neutralizes the free radicals causing inflammation in your body from head to toe. Easing everything from insomnia to back pain, menstrual cramps to post-surgical healing… nothing is a better anti-aging plan then laying on the earth for 10 minutes a day. Yes, keep your clothes on. Yes, bundle under a blanket if you like. Yes, bring out a cup of hot chocolate, a glass of water, hell even a glass of wine… your favorite book, your favorite pillow… and just chill.
If you can’t go outside, take a nice hot soothing bath with organic Himalayan and dead sea salts to help ground you… similar to taking a swim in the ocean… ahhh….
3.) Spice it up… using rosemary, thyme, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon in your diet helps decrease inflammation across your entire body.
4.) Stay hydrated. Studies have shown that hydrating decreases pain instantly… keeping your joint discs hydrated, your blood flowing and speeding immune boosting agents and oxygen to your sore areas, and boosting over all health. If you are in pain, stop and drink a glass of water while you consider your next step.
5.) For nerve pain, B-12 supplements can help greatly over time.
6.) For soreness, topical magnesium gel helps relax it away… I love to use this whenever my shoulders knot up. For fibromyalgia pain, post exercise soreness, and general muscle tension (including dreaded tension headaches) this can make a real difference.
7.) Proteolytic enzymes help reduce inflammation and can be a god-send for those in chronic pain.
8.) Topical arnica gels and creams help decrease pain if you have a specific injury such as a bruise or an insect sting.
9.) For fevers, staying well hydrated, cool wash clothes on the forehead or nape of the neck, sucking on ice chips or ice pops, resting, and letting your body do it’s thang is the first step.
10.) For growing pains, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain secondary to gas or bloating, back pain, or really most any kind of pain, a hot water bottle is my go-to therapy. Everyone in my family has their own hot water bottle, and those bottle have seen us through everything from PMS to growing pains to freezing cold nights in the winter and everything in between.
11.) For uncomfortably high fevers or fevers that don’t resolve, seek medical attention as needed and if you must take a medication to reduce you or your child’s fever, stick with Motrin. Throw out your Tylenol and stock up on Motrin to have on hand when you need it.
There you have it, my top 11 ways to take care of inflammation and pain without using Tylenol.
Have any others to add to the list? CoQ10 work for you? Is it accupuncture you love? Please, oh please would you share it in the comments below so that we can all benefit? And while you are at it, share this post with anyone in your life who might use Tylenol, to alert them to stay well within the recommended dosages and to avoid using in children all together. Thank you!!!!!
xoxo, Laura
Awesome info! That is scary to think how many people are taking all of that Tylenol!
Hi Laura!
I have endometriosis and would literally be in the bed for several days each month in pain. I am a patient of your husband’s and he has treated it with hormonal and herbal remedies. He also referred me to a wonderful acupuncturist and my pain is minimal after just a few sessions! Accupunture gives you a feeling I can’t describe and I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the recommendation Amy! I appreciate your comment!!! xoxo
Wow. Thanks for that info. Just don’t understand why a massive overdosing wouldn’t hurt you as well. If you took massive overdose over a long period of time would it be as dangerous too. And I sure didn’t know B-12 would help nerve pain! Hugs.
Hi Vicki! You are right to question that. A massive overdose is very toxic to the liver, brain, etc… you are right. The surprising news is that chronic small overdoses are even WORSE!!! Not that a massive overdose isn’t horrible on the body, because you are right it is… and can lead to death. But what was found is that chronic tiny overdoses are even worse… more liver failure, more brain damage, and higher death rates then even a massive overdose. So for sure chronic massive overdoses would be the worst of all… incompatible with life, I think
Does that make sense? Thanks so much for your comments, I love hearing from you! Try the B12 and tell me what you think!!! xoxo
I was always very hesitant with all pain pills….although the pharmaceutical corporations wave the “safe” flag since I can remember. There is certain pain’s which might need a pharmaceutical pain killer but there is also a lot of alternative ways to try for the every day headache. I have also learned that it is possible to teach your children to cope with pain, help them with massages and herbal remedies…….
I like B 12, Omega 3 and most of all pure MSM for pain, especially for inflammation and chronic pain – it keeps my fibro under control .It is my experience that for chronic pain you need you work with several remedies, and most certainly need to change your diet. Most of the time chronic pain is the body’s cry for attention and can helped so much better with understanding that there is an underlying food allergy which never has been acknowledged or addressed as well with a dramatic diet change. It is my understanding that a good percentages of pain is caused by an accumulation of toxins, wrong diet’s, stressors (mental or physcial) etc….trying to quiet this with a TYLENOL is just making things worse like your great article indicates….Thank you so much for sharing. xoxoxox
Thank you Gabrielle!!!! Great advice! xoxo
This makes me so angry…coming from a chronic pain-er. Most physicians I know refuse to prescribe anything other than meds which come in combination with acetaminophen for chronic pain, when the same active ingredient can be given without the Tylenol. Instead, they are too worried (about exactly what, I cannot say)…so they force people with chronic pain to take acetaminophen QD/qod/maybe even multiple times a day, when really what the patient needs is only the other active ingredient. So here I sit knowing I will probably become sick and die “before my time” because my doctor will not allow me to take a medication needed for adequate pain control and thus quality of life (or even to just get out of bed) because he is afraid to prescribe it…I suspect the license gods have put a fear into physicians which in turn reflects upon their Rx choices, leaving patients as the ones who ultimately suffer. Only chronic pain-ers will probably understand what I am talking about.
Steph, please don’t fear for your life, you are a very healthy and positive, wonderful young woman!!! I do agree with your point, though… get the Tylenol out!!! Great message, and hopefully this new data will help get more docs thinking this way! However, just double check your pain Rx labels… I’m pretty certain even though they are adding Tylenol on, you are not exceeding the 4000 mg threshhold if you are taking as directed. Of course, you are right, less is better, so if it’s possible to wean down a bit and use some of those adjunctive therapies listed above that would be all the better. Much love to you my Stephie!!!! xoxo, Laura
Awesome to know. Thanks for sharing Laura.