Tylenol can kill you; new warning admits it can cause liver damage and death

It has been a common household name in over-the-counter pain relief for more than 50 years. But the popular painkiller drug Tylenol is getting a major labeling makeover following a string of personal injury lawsuits. According to the Associated Press (AP), so many Tylenol users these days are suffering major liver damage or dying that the drug's manufacturer, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has decided to put a large, red warning label on the cap that informs users about the drug's risks.

Even when taken at recommended doses, acetaminophen, the primary active ingredient in Tylenol, can cause major damage to the liver, potentially leading to liver failure and even death. In fact, acetaminophen is currently the leading cause of sudden liver failure in the U.S., as its toxic metabolites have been shown to kill liver cells. The drug is so toxic that as many as 80,000 people are rushed to the emergency room annually due to acetaminophen poisoning, and another 500-or-so end up dead from liver failure.

These are disturbing figures that might come as a surprise to most people, especially considering that millions of Americans pop Tylenol and acetaminophen-containing drugs on a regular basis. But with more than 85 personal injury lawsuits and counting filed against the company in federal court, McNeil is feeling the heat from a drug that has long been claimed as one of the safest painkiller drugs on the market, which it clearly is not.

"The warning will make it explicitly clear that the over-the-counter drug contains acetaminophen, a pain-relieving ingredient that's the nation's leading cause of sudden liver failure," writes Matthew Perrone for the AP. "The new cap is designed to grab the attention of people who don't read warnings that already appear in the fine print on the product's label, according to company executives."

The new label, which will bear the phrases "CONTAINS ACETAMINOPHEN" and "ALWAYS READ THE LABEL," is set to first appear on all bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol, which contains more than 50 percent more acetaminophen per dose than regular strength Tylenol. And in the coming months, all bottles of Tylenol, including regular strength Tylenol, will bear the new label.

NyQuil, Sudafed, Excedrin and many other common drugs also contain acetaminophen

Despite the new label, McNeil, which is owned by drug giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), insists that Tylenol is safe when taken as directed. But what the company fails to admit is that many people are taking not only Tylenol but also other drugs that contain acetaminophen, which increases their dose of the chemical to levels that are much higher than they probably realize.

According to the AP, nearly one in four Americans, or about 78 million people, consume drug products that contain acetaminophen in a given week. Some 600 over-the-counter drug products, it turns out, contain acetaminophen. These products include other painkiller drugs like Excedrin, for instance, as well as NyQuil cold formula and Sudafed sinus pills.

Combining these and other acetaminophen-containing drugs is a major cause of acetaminophen overdose, say experts, hence the addition of the new labels. But some people who stay well within the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen, which is currently set at 4,000 milligrams (mg) per day, still fall ill or die, which suggests that perhaps any level of acetaminophen is toxic and should be avoided.

"It's still a little bit of a puzzle," says Dr. Anne Larson from the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. "Is it a genetic predisposition? Are they claiming they took the right amount, but they really took more? It's difficult to know."

Source: NaturalNews

Tylenol Use During Pregnancy May be Linked to Autism

Dr. Brent Hunter | Natural News

Image: NaturalNews.com

Is it safe to take Tylenol during pregnancy? This question has been asked by millions of pregnant women. Typically, they hear from their doctor that Tylenol during pregnancy is completely safe for both the mother and her developing baby. However, a new study has found symptoms aligned with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Tylenol-exposed children.

Tylenol and Pregnancy

The majority of pregnant women will experience back pain, headaches and mild fever during pregnancy. They often turn to Tylenol for relief of these symptoms. What they are usually not told is that NO drug – including Tylenol – is completely safe during pregnancy or otherwise.

As with all drugs, over use of Tylenol will cause serious problems. However, the researchers in this new study found that using Tylenol even just once every 10 days during pregnancy led to children with developmental delays similar to ASD. “Their children seemed to have poorer motor skills than kids whose mothers had taken the drug fewer times or not at all. Tylenol-exposed kids also tended to start walking later, have poorer communication and language skills and more behavior problems.”(1)

The research does not clearly condemn Tylenol use during pregnancy, however, these results are quite concerning. A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, Jodie Wertheim, said the drug “has an exceptional safety profile. As the authors note in the study, there are no prospective, randomized controlled studies demonstrating a causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse effects on child development.”(1) The truth is that we do not know how dangerous Tylenol is to child development during pregnancy because there are no studies.

Other Dangers of Tylenol and NSAIDS

Examiner.com reported on the dangers of Tylenol and FDA warnings in 2009. “According to the FDA, from 1998 to 2003, acetaminophen was the main cause of acute liver failure in the United States. A 2007 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 1,600 cases of acute liver failure each year in the United States, and acetaminophen is the most common cause. And that’s not all. According to a report in June 2006 issue of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, between 1990 and 1998, each year there were an estimated 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths related to acetaminophen overdoses.”(2,3)

Unfortunately, the researchers of this new study only recommended switching to another drug, ibuprofen. While ibuprofen may be linked to fewer problems during pregnancy, it is not inherently safe either. It is still a drug that causes hospitalizations and deaths every year. In fact, over 16,500 people die every year from taking NSAIDS (4,5), like aspirin, Advil, Aleve, and Motrin.

Pregnancy-Safe, Natural Alternatives to Tylenol

It is best to avoid all pharmaceutical pain relievers (prescription and over the counter) during pregnancy if at all possible. Some herbs – such as skullcap, capsaicin, and turmeric – may be safe during pregnancy and are far better options than Tylenol. However, these herbs affect everyone differently, especially during pregnancy. If you need additional pain relief, it is best to consult a natural physician for specific recommendations. Here are the top lifestyle options that every woman can safely use during pregnancy.

Chiropractic Care

Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy is your best choice for a healthy pregnancy with as little pain and discomfort as possible. It is completely natural and there are no side effects. Chiropractors worldwide – myself included – have great success caring for women during pregnancy.

Women using chiropractic care during pregnancy tend to have not only more comfortable pregnancies but healthier pregnancies, labor and deliveries as well. (6) In my professional experience, women who utilize chiropractic care, along with good diet and nutrition, before and during pregnancy have no need for pain relieving drugs.

Visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association to find a chiropractor near you who specializes in chiropractic care for children and pregnancy.

Proper Hydration

If you have been holding back on drinking water to avoid bathroom trips, then you are likely causing your own headaches! Lack of proper hydration causes many problems including high blood pressure, headaches, muscle aches and back pain. All of these are made worse during pregnancy. Be sure to maintain proper hydration during pregnancy to help avoid these problems.

Each day, drink at least one half ounce of water per pound of body weight to keep yourself well hydrated (e.g. 75 ounces if you weigh 150 pounds). Obviously, this will change during pregnancy. If you are not used to drinking much water, it will take some time to get used to this; however, you will be amazed at how well you feel with proper hydration!

Diet and Nutrition Considerations

Avoid inflammatory foods such as sugar, pastas, and fried foods. These foods will increase inflammation and cause pain and headaches. Instead, opt for anti-inflammatory foods and healthy fats. Not only will you experience far less pain and digestive discomfort but you will be providing your baby the nutrition he needs to develop a strong, healthy body.

Exercise

Exercise during pregnancy helps increase energy levels, strengthens muscles and can reduce inflammation and pain as well. Walking and swimming are generally safe cardiovascular exercises for any pregnant woman. If you exercised regularly before pregnancy, maintaining your exercise routine will help you stay healthy and reduce pain. If you prefer intense exercise, like high intensity interval training, be sure that you keep your heart rate below 140 beats per minute during exercise and exercise no more than 15 minutes at a time.

It is vital to maintain a healthy lifestyle that produces natural healing and wellness. This lifestyle approach to health care is even more important during pregnancy. Adopt this lifestyle and ditch the NSAIDS and Tylenol!

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Source: NaturalNews.com

References for this Article:

(1) Too much Tylenol in pregnancy could affect development

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/22/us-tylenol-pregnancy-idUSBRE9AL15L20131122?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

(2) Natural alternatives to acetaminophen

http://www.examiner.com/article/natural-alternatives-to-acetaminophen

(3) Acetaminophen Overdose and Liver Injury http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/AC/09/briefing/2009-4429b1-01-FDA.pdf

(4) Wolfe M. MD, Lichtenstein D. MD, and Singh Gurkirpal, MD, “Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs”, The New England Journal of Medicine, June 17, 1999, Vol. 340, No. 24, pp. 1888-1889.

(5) Toxic and Deadly NSAIDS – An Investigative Report

http://www.healthsentinel.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2446:toxic-and-deadly-nsaids&catid=39:reports&Itemid=52

(6) Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2647084/

Top 20 Natural Painkillers You Already Have In Your Kitchen

Image: www.herbs-info.com

We just discovered a fantastic, fascinating list of natural painkillers that are common kitchen ingredients! What’s interesting is that the list is not just a basic list – but also gives specific information as to the type of pain that researchers have found that these natural ingredients may assist with – and the way in which the food is used (not all of the remedies involve actually eating the herb / food in question!)

This list is absolutely incredible – and the uses are based on reports from scientific research (this info is included at the source article – link at the foot of my commentary). The original list is a bit of a long read though, requiring much scrolling – and so we thought it might be good to seem them all “at a glance” – so for those who want to “skim” through the list really quickly, I made a “short version” of the top 20, together with a summary of the condition each item is used for.

Once again, the miracles of nature have astounded me and made me wonder if the modern world will tamper with everything before going full circle and realizing that “natural is best” after all! Thankfully there are still many good scientists doing groundbreaking work in this field and I take my hat off to you.

Top 20 Natural Painkillers List

Ginger (add to 1-2 teaspoons daily to diet for general muscle pain) 10 more health benefits of ginger
Cloves (chewed gently for toothache / gum inflammation)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1tbsp mixed with water before meals for heartburn) More apple cider vinegar uses
Garlic (made into a special oil for earache – recipe at the original article)
Cherries (joint pain, headaches – 1 bowl per day)
Oily fish (Salmon, tuna, sardines, trout, mackerel, herring – intestinal inflammation – 18oz per week)
Yogurt (PMS – 2 cups per day)
Turmeric (chronic pain – 1/4 teaspoon per day) Turmeric is more effective than 14 different pharmaceutical drugs
Oats (endometrial pain – they are gluten free)
Salt (hot, salty foot baths for ingrown toenails – 1tsp per cup of water – 20 mins twice daily)
Pineapple (stomach bloating, gas – 1 cup of fresh pineapple)
Peppermint (add a few drops of the essential oil to bath for sore muscles)
Grapes (back pain – 1 heaping cup per day)
Water (general injury pain, helps wash away the pain-triggering histamine – 8 x 8 ounce glasses per day)
Horseradish (sinus pain – 1 teaspoon twice daily)
Blueberries (bladder / urinary tract infections – 1 cup daily)
Raw Honey (topical application 4 times daily for cold sores / canker sores) (see also our special report on raw honey) More health benefits of raw honey
Flax (breast pain – 3 tablespoons daily – must be ground or seeds will pass right through!)
Coffee (migraines – caffeine stimulates the stomach to absorb pain meds better)
Tomato Juice (leg cramps – tomato juice is rich in potassium – 10oz daily)

Can you think of any more? Let us know in the comments.

Source: herbs-info.com