Tylenol Can Kill Your Liver

Most people, apparently, can take the recommended daily dose of Tylenol with no worries. But many, particularly those whose livers have been compromised by viruses, medications, or alcohol, should think twice before popping any of the many pain relievers that contain acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin, Midol Teen Formula, Theraflu, Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine, and NyQuil Cold and Flu. What’s up with that? The New York Times reports on a study of 662 consecutive patients who showed up with acute liver failure at 23
transplant centers across the United States from 1998 to 2003. Acetaminophen poisoning, it turns out, afflicted nearly half the patients, and the proportion of cases linked to the drug rose to 51
percent in 2003 from 28 percent in 1998. What to do if your favorite pain reliever is Tylenol? Geezer says the least you can do is pay attention to the numbers: The recommended maximum daily dose for adults is 4 grams, or 4,000 milligrams. According to the Times, each Extra Strength Tylenol tablet contains half a gram, or 500 milligrams, of acetaminophen, and arthritis strength
versions of the pain reliever contain 650 milligrams. One tablet of
Midol Teen formula contains 500 milligrams of acetaminophen, as does
one adult dose of NyQuil Cold and Flu. One dose of Tylenol Cold and Flu
Severe contains 1,000 milligrams.