The drug – which is the first line of defence against a number of common ailments – could be causing irreparable damage to your liver, according to a senior pharmacy practice lecturer at Kingston University
An urgent warning has been issued about one of the world’s most common drugs – which could secretly be harming your liver.
The pill – which is used for anything from headaches to muscle pain – is generally safe as long as the recommended dosage isn’t exceeded.
Senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at Kingston University, Dipa Kamdar, has warned that even taking a few pills over the recommendation could have “extremely dangerous” consequences for your liver.
Most people would assume that drinking alcohol is the primary cause of liver damage, but Dipa warned there are a number of “often overlooked” everyday habits that can “eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis – permanent scarring of the liver – or liver failure”.
She said that eating foods high in sugar or saturated fat, smoking, and exercising enough can all lead to the life-threatening conditions, as can taking too much paracetamol.
“Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible,” Dipa wrote in The Conversation.
“One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea.
“As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow.”
Each year, liver disease kills more than 11,000 people in the UK – which amounts to more than 31 deaths each day, according to The British Liver Trust. The charity warned that while deaths from other major diseases are falling, deaths from liver disease have quadrupled in the past five decades.
When paracetamol is broken down by the liver, it produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI – which is usually neutralised by a protective substance called glutathione. However, when someone takes too much of the drug, the body is flooded with the toxins and the liver can become overwhelmed.
Dipa explained: “In an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells,” Dipa warned. This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal.
“Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly.”
Researchers have undertaken numerous studies into the dangers of taking paracetamol, with some linking low doses to liver failure.
Honorary senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, Andrew Moore, wrote in The Conversation : “Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk.”
