Five Dangers of Tylenol

Many people pop pain killers like they're candy. That's why so many readers have been surprised to find, for example, that NSAIDS (Advil, Motrin, ibuprofen, etc.) rip up your stomach like Drano - talk to any GI specialist - and often cause erectile dysfunction. (NOTE:  I had one close relative hospitalized with a duodonal ulcer that was likely caused by regular Advil use.)

Well, now I'm here to tell you that Tylenol is little better.  Study after study has been showing the extreme dangers of this supposedly benign medication. Below is a summary of just what Tylenol (acetaminophen) does to the body and what your doctor, pharmacist and friendly neighborhood pharmaceutical manufacturer are very unlikely to tell you:

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1.  Glutathione.  One of the most important chemicals in your body is Glutathione.  Glutathione, among other things, is an important antioxidant and it also detoxes the body.  Pesticide metabolites (byproducts), mercury and lead are all removed by glutathione.  You can probably guess what I am going to write next: Tylenol is a well-known glutathione-lowerer and this can cause a host of issues for the liver and other tissues of the body. [1] Lowering glutathione is a bad idea.  In fact, you should be trying to do the opposite:  read my link on How to Increase Glutathione for more information.

2.  Mitochondrial Function.  Probably due to its glutathione-lowering action, acetaminophen also impairs mitochondrial function. [1] One of the hallmarks of aging (and lower testosterone) is mitochondrial dysfunction.  Again, this is a very negative property of Tylenol.

3.  Autism.  Recent research has revealed a very significant link (in young children) between administration of Tylenol and autism. [4]  Some researchers have even speculated if this could be the cause of the autism "epidemic". [5]

4.  Liver.  Liver poisoning is extremely common with Tylenol.  Around 30,000 cases are reported each year with over a hundred deaths. [3]  One of the common problems is that Tylenol is often present as a secondary ingredient in many over-the-counter medications and so double dosages occur easily.  Unfortunately, Tylenol has a very tight therapeutic window for some and, when coupled with glutathione depletion, the liver has extreme difficulties.  Remember:  you have two kidneys but just one liver.

5.  Asthma.  A massive, multi-country study found that youth that took Tylenol were twice as likely to develop asthma. [2]  In fact, using acetominopen during pregnancy resulted in more likelihood for the child to develop asthma later.

This is nasty, toxic stuff and I recommend that you keep it away from your kids in particular and use it for yourself carefully and only when absolutely necessary.  No, Tylenol is not your friend...

REFERENCES:

1) The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 2001, 1:165–166, "Oxidative stress and redox imbalance in acetaminophen toxicity"

2) http://healthland.time.com/2010/08/13/asthma-and-tylenol-how-strong-is-the-evidence/

3) J Emerg Nurs, 2004, 30:281-3, "Acetominophen Toxicity",

4) Autism, May 2008, 12(3):293-307, "Acetaminophen (paracetamol) use, measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, and autistic disorder: The results of a parent survey"

5) Altern Med Rev, 2009 Dec, 14(4):364-72, "Did acetaminophen provoke the autism epidemic?"

6) Arch Fam Med, 1998 May-Jun, 7(3):255-60, "Use of acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a prospective study and the risk of symptomatic diverticular disease in men"