• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Asthma
• Taking large doses – even once
• Those who use Tylenol on a regular basis
• Those who drink alcohol- even infrequently
Liver Toxicity
Liver toxicity is one of the most well-known, but least talked about of the Tylenol side effects. Also called hepatotoxicity, it can cause just a small amount of liver damage that is virtually unnoticeable all the way to complete liver failure that requires a liver transplant and anything in between. And Tylenol use is one of the MAIN CAUSES of non alcoholic liver failure in the US.
Seven Myths About Tylenol
And Other Over The Counter Drugs
While the vast majority of people don't end up in the hospital with liver failure, Tylenol DOES cause some degree of liver damage every time that you take it- and that damage is worsened with alcohol use. Human livers are remarkable in their ability to regenerate, and therefore healthy people are unlikely to notice the tiny amounts of liver damage that occur if they take Tylenol infrequently.
But those who take Tylenol on a regular basis, even at 'recommended' dosages are at GREAT risk of liver damage as the usage accumulates until the damage becomes apparent. It will SEEM as though the liver damage just happened 'one day' but it is due to a constant small amount of damage to the liver with each usage and with each drink of alcohol.
Tylenol side effects in children
Despite Tylenol's seemingly 'safe' impression, it has NOT been tested with the randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies, known as RCT's, that doctors and scientists SAY they require in order to determine if something is safe. If Tylenol were brought onto the market as a new drug right now, researchers would say that there is just not evidence to declare its safety for use in children.
Yet, we take it for granted that we are doing the best thing for our children by giving them Tylenol when they have a fever or are in pain. But children HAVE died of liver failure, or been put on the transplant list, from 'recommended' dosages of Tylenol. And in fact, the FDA's scientific consultants recommended, in 2007, that the FDA recommend that children under 6 years old NOT receive Tylenol- the FDA chose to ignore their scientific consultants in this matter. A study that wanted to see why there was such a discrepancy between doctor's and parents perception of safety and the FDA panel's perception of the harmful nature of these drugs agreed that they have NOT been proven to be safe for children- and since Aspirin Side Effects include a serious condition called Reye's Syndrome, aspirin should not be given to children either.
"...a risk-benefit analysis clearly suggests that
the use of these products in children younger than
six years of age should not be encouraged or supported.
Furthermore, parent education about the self-limiting
nature of coughs and colds and the lack of efficacy
of these drugs is needed"
What is the evidence for the safety and efficacy of over-the-counter cough and cold preparations for children younger than six years of age
Notice that they used the phrase "… lack of efficacy…". That means that these drugs don't work. So, in children under six years old, giving these drugs is exposing them to Tylenol side effects that can be dangerous and even deadly- simply for the need to 'do something' for your child when they are sick!
Kidney Damage
One of the relatively unknown Tylenol Side Effects is kidney damage and kidney failure. While it is more likely to happen in adults who have used Tylenol regularly over long periods of time, it has also occurred in children. Kidney damage can be VERY serious business, potentially leading to the need for lifelong dialysis and/or a kidney transplant.
"...acetaminophen may accumulate in the renal
medulla— causing tubular necrosis and renal toxicity..."
Antipyretic Treatment in Young Children With Fever
But even in those who don't end up on dialysis, studies that look for it often find mild unnoticeable kidney damage to a significant number of people in the study(1). While this tiny amount of damage may not matter over the short-term, someone who takes Tylenol many many times starting in childhood for every ache or fever may have long-term liver or kidney problems that these short-term studies just simply can't look for.
Alternatives to Tylenol
The vast majority of Tylenol given to children and adults is for fever. Before the days of widespread Tylenol usage, mothers would sponge their children off with room temperature water to cool them down. This very safe practice has gone by the wayside in favor of potentially dangerous drugs.
While the movies often show people being submerged into ice cold tubs for high fevers, this practice is completely unnecessary, potentially harmful and certainly uncomfortable. The body's sweat is designed to bring high temperatures down during exercise- and therefore, a room temperature sponge bath or real bath is usually very effective at bringing temperatures down- and what is often used in the emergency room for small babies with fevers anyway.
Adults can do the same as well. And in adults, where the risk of a high fever is not as great as in children, if you are otherwise healthy, you can simply let the fever 'take its course'. A fever is often generated for a reason, and suppressing a fever may not always be the best course of action.
Alternatives to Tylenol for Pain
While Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) is also used as a safer alternative to Tylenol, Ibuprofen Side Effects offer their own problems.
But there ARE natural alternatives to the problems of Over the Counter Drug Side Effects, and believe it or not, Vitamin D Deficiency and Chronic Pain is a HUGE problem!! Take a look at these natural products that can effectively reduce pain and inflammation:
- Free From Chronic Pain- A Unique approach to the problem of relieving pain that REALLY works. No Drugs, no surgery, no supplements! Really!
- Heal and Soothe- Effective combination of natural anti-inflammatory pain-relieving ingredients like Turmeric, Ginger and Digestive Enzymes. So effective that it's got a money back guarantee!
- Rub on Relief- Effective pain relief cream to help joint pain, tendonitis and muscle pains.
- Organic India Turmeric and Ginger Supplements- Turmeric and ginger supplements have a long history of giving pain and inflammation relief.
So, despite the risk of Tylenol side effects being low, they can be
EXTREMELY dangerous and even life threatening. Is the risk of harmful side effects worth the feeling that you are doing something good for yourself or your child- when it reality, you may be actually doing more harm than good?
Next --->
Ibuprofen Side Effects
Research Cited for Tylenol Side Effects
