How Toxic is Acetaminophen? · H4LA Beta Tester Group

How Toxic is Acetaminophen?

In most houses in the US, there are over-the-counter and prescription medicines that contain a potentially dangerous ingredient called acetaminophen. This common substance may be harmful to you or your child, but luckily there is a safer, natural alternative that has been scientifically proven to be as effective at reducing pain.

Found in over 600 products, Acetaminophen is one of the most widely used medication ingredients in the United States. You can find it in products that lower fevers, lessen headaches, eradicate pain, and combat cold and flu symptoms. At the same time, it causes over 78,000 emergency room visits and 150 accidental deaths every year. There were in fact 1,567 accidental deaths from 2001 to 2010 attributed to medications with this common ingredient. If that weren’t enough, acetaminophen overdose is also the primary cause of liver failure in the US. The FDA insists that the use of any medications with this ingredient MUST be done with caution especially in children and people who consume alcohol. So real is the danger that they put out a “Don’t Double Up” pamphlet that warns of taking more than one medication at a time containing acetaminophen.

Here is an excerpt from that pamphlet:

“You have flu symptoms, so you've been getting some relief for the past two days by taking a cough and flu medicine every few hours. Late in the day, you have a headache and you think about grabbing a couple of acetaminophen tablets to treat the pain.

Stop right there.

What you may not realize is that more than 600 medications, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC), contain the active ingredient acetaminophen to help relieve pain and reduce fever. Taken carefully and correctly, these medicines can be safe and effective. But taking too much acetaminophen can lead to severe liver damage.”

DID YOU KNOW....?

Acetaminophen, a common ingredient in many medications, can lead to liver damage.

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