Most people think nothing of taking a few tablets of over-the-counter painkillers when they have a headache or toothache. The hidden story behind the most common painkiller on the market is that too large a dosage can kill you!

The top recommended dosage of acetaminophen (most commonly taken as Tylenol) for adults is 4 grams per day – that’s eight extra-strength tablets. A single dose of 7 grams for the average-sized adult will destroy their liver and they will die.

For children, the maximum recommended dose is 90 milligrams of Tylenol per kilogram of the child’s weight, per day. For a 60 pound child, that’s just fiveextra-strength tablets.

It is easy to take too much acetaminophen because it is found in almost 200 different products. Patients may take Tylenol for pain and then a cold remedy later the same day, not realizing they are exceeding the maximum dose.

An FDA review has found more than 56,000 emergency visits a year are due to acetaminophen overdose; about 100 result in death.

“Acetaminophen appears to be the leading single cause of acute liver failure, the most severe type of liver damage,” contends Dr. William Lee of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

The initial symptoms of acetaminophen poisoning are similar to the flu: loss of appetite and nausea. These symptoms may appear in the first day and subside, giving the impression that the danger has passed. It may take 48 hours for liver failure to become apparent with the onset of jaundice, confusion and even coma.

There is an effective antidote, but it must be given within 12 to 24 hours of the overdose. By the time the symptoms arrive, it is usually too late.

SOURCE: http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/509224.html, http://www.detnews.com/2002/health/0209/27/health-592086.htm, http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1998/0112/6101042a_print.html