Tylenol is a common over-the-counter drug that is pharmaceutically called acetaminophen. People all over the world use Tylenol. However, many people are unaware of the side effects that Tylenol or other acetaminophens have.

Acetaminophen passes through the liver, and while most of the byproducts of this are harmless, one of them is toxic to your liver. In recommended doses, Tylenol is a good pain reliever, but many people don’t listen to dose recommendations. Over 1000 people died between 2000-2010, due to acetaminophen damage. These effects can be worsened by consuming chemicals such as alcohol.

According to ProPublica.org, Acetaminophen overdose sends as many as 78,000 Americans to the emergency room annually and results in 33,000 hospitalizations a year. This medicine is available almost everywhere and this can cause people to be reckless when choosing what dose to take. While labels explain the doses and side effects of Tylenol, many people choose to ignore these labels. Knowledge of the medicine people consume, especially common ones such as Tylenol, is extremely important. The dangers of medicines need to be clear and talked about. So what are the side effects of Tylenol?  According to drugwatch.com, they are:

Constipation, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Headache, Itchiness, Nausea, Sweating, Tiredness, and Vomiting.

More serious side effects occur when someone overdoses. Liver failure, excessive vomiting, pain in the abdomen, loss of appetite, and more. If you or anyone you know has taken too much acetaminophen then contact poison control immediately.

All of this being said when taken in safe doses, in an occasional manner Tylenol is safe to take when needed. Look into Tylenol safety and side effects more if there is a concern.

Now let’s look at specific points of history involving Tylenol. Tylenol is the reason medicines now have a tamper-proof seal. In 1982, there was an incident where a killer spiked Tylenol in bottles at the store. The Pills were laced with cyanide, which is toxic. This ended up killing 7 people. This incident is one of the main reasons medications now have tamper-proof seals. In 2002 the FDA recommended that all acetaminophen products have a warning about the damages they could cause. This was put on Tylenol a few years after, to minimize the overdose and deaths that are caused by Tylenol.