Does Acetaminophen Shorten Lifespan?
Got a headache? Take two Tylenol. Sore muscles? Take Tylenol. Every day, millions of Americans reach for a bottle of Tylenol to control everyday aches and pains. But a recent British review of 1,800 studies involving the use of acetaminophen, the generic name for the active ingredient in Tylenol, found that regular use increases the risk of premature death by a frightening 60 percent.
“You don’t need to be one of the people who are murdered by their pain relievers every year,” said best-selling author Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, author of Real Cause, Real Cure. “People are risking their lives every day and don’t know it,” he tells Newsmax Health.
Acetaminophen is the most common pain reliever in the United States, and it has been widely recommended because it’s much less likely to cause stomach problems than aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers (NSAIDS). But the margin between a safe dose of acetaminophen and a toxic dose is small.
The 1,800-study review revealed that long-term use of acetaminophen was linked to kidney disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Taking too much acetaminophen can also cause liver damage, and it’s easy to overdose since Tylenol is an ingredient in many over-the-counter medications. Full Story.
