THE UGLY SECRET ABOUT THE PAINKILLER; PARACETAMOL

The human liver has so many functions which all centre on making toxins and waste products less harmful to the human body. There are so many drugs and substances we consume that stress the liver. Ranging from drugs used against ringworm (e.g. ketoconazole), to prescription only medicines.

To simplify it, the liver makes sure what you eat does not kill you. It converts substances taking into the body to forms that can be easily removed. It will amaze you the things that would kill you if your liver stops functioning. There are substances that are abused daily for pleasure or for pain that can damage your liver pretty badly.

Excessive consumption of alcohol has grave effect on the liver. It can cause liver cirrhosis which simply put; messes up your liver function. Moderate and occasional consumption of alcohol is not much of a burden to the liver.

Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) an analgesic which usually is branded alone or in combination with other painkillers has destructive effect on the liver if taking beyond the dose. 1000mg taking every 6 hours for 3 days straight is the maximum dosing or 1000mg taking every 12 hours for 5days. The liver converts the paracetamol using some enzymes but the liver cannot reproduce these enzymes at the rate of its use, leading to accumulation of a toxic product in the body.

My major concern is on those that take this drug with alcohol, those that take it like its mint and those that combine analgesics together. I seriously advice against combining your analgesics with alcohol with the aim of preventing hangover associated headache. I suggest fruits on waking or use a non paracetamol containing analgesic. Daily use of paracetamol like it’s a multivitamin is a very bad habit. If the headache is persistent it could be a sign of an underlying disease, bad sleeping pattern, night driving stress from head lamps etc so seek professional advice. Overdosing with paracetamol by exceeding the maximum dose which is 1000mg at a time for an adult above 35kg or combing analgesics which could all contain paracetamol induces massive stress on the liver which would exert an accumulated effect that can lead to damage after a period of time.

There are many drugs that contain a combination of paracetamol and other painkillers. Check your medications to confirm this. Below are some common analgesics that contain paracetamol alone or with other painkillers:

Panadol®

Panadol extra®

Panadol cold and cattarh®

Emzor paracetamol®

M&B paracetamol®

Forpain®

Medic 55®

Norpain®

Cenpain night®

Aspain night®

Anorol®

Orphesic®

Norgesic®

Boska®

Bendrex®