what's wrong with tylenol?

[choochootrain]

I remember reading here links to some studies that tylenol was interfering with something or the other... I can't find the thread now. Anyone can direct me to this information?

Thanks!

[Marnica]

Tylenol interferes with glutathione which helps scavenge free radicals and deal with oxidative stress. the active ingredient in Tylenol (acetaminophen)depletes glutathione levels in the liver (where it is made & stored).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1566779/

http://www.jbc.org/content/281/39/28865.abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3829578

basically just go to pubmed and type in acetaminophen and glutathione...there are 50+ articles

[choochootrain]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Tylenol interferes with glutathione which helps scavenge free radicals and deal with oxidative stress. the active ingredient in Tylenol (acetaminophen)depletes glutathione levels in the liver (where it is made & stored).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1566779/

http://www.jbc.org/content/281/39/28865.abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3829578

basically just go to pubmed and type in acetaminophen and glutathione...there are 50+ articles

thanks! i'm afraid i'm not scientifically oriented, so i'm not really understanind the abstracts.

are the effects on rats and mice the same as on humans?

is any dose bad for you?

what about using it occassionally only?

i have a headache maybe once every 4-5 months, with colds. and when i really need to do something, i take tylenol, but if i can stay in bed and rest, i don't. is even this detrimental?

are advil or aspirin better alternatives?

my youngest two kids never had tylenol, but the oldest had some when she was an infant.

yesterday i was in bed feeling crappy and dh suggested i take tylenol, but for some reason i refused, remembering reading here that it wasn't as great. but i guess i need an explanation in simple english, because i'm not getting those abstracts. can anyone help me, and explain how the studies relate to actual human usage? thanks.

[Marnica]

Personally I never take Tylenol. If I'm desparate and I need to take something for a headache or pain that is not responding to homeopathics (which is what I always try first and often find relief), I will take Advil.

With that being said, I don't think taking an occasional tylenol will be detrimental for you, but if I were to take it, I'd take NAC (N-acetylcysteine.)
with it. You can get NAC at the healthfood store

[Traceround]

Tylenol every once in a while and well under the maximum safe dose is okay. Don't overdo it and use Advil (or Motrin, Ibuprofen) if you can.