One of the most widely used drugs in the United States – and the most commonly used painkiller worldwide – could do much more than just eliminate the headache, recent evidence suggests.
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and widely sold as Tylenol and Panadol, also increases risk-taking, according to a September 2020 study that measured changes in people’s behavior when they are under the influence of regular over-the-counter medications. medical.
“Acetaminophen seems to make people feel less negative when they consider risky activities – they just don’t feel as scared,” said Baldwin Way neurologist at Ohio State University in September 2020.
With nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population taking acetaminophen each week, reducing risk perceptions and increasing risk could have important effects on society.
The findings add to a recent body of research that suggests that the effects of acetaminophen on pain reduction extend to various psychological processes, decreasing people’s receptivity to hurt feelings, experiencing reduced empathy and even dull cognitive functions.
Similarly, recent research suggests that people’s affective ability to perceive and assess risks may be affected when taking acetaminophen. Although the effects may be mild, it is certainly worth noting, given that acetaminophen is the most common drug ingredient in America, found in over 600 different types of over-the-counter and over-the-counter medications.
In a series of experiments involving more than 500 undergraduate students, Way and his team measured how a single 1,000 mg dose of acetaminophen (the maximum recommended dose for adults) randomly assigned to participants was measured. affected risk-taking behavior compared to placebo administered randomly to a control group.
In each of the experiments, participants had to pump an inflated balloon on the computer screen, each pump earning imaginary money. Their instructions were to earn as much money as possible by pumping the balloon as much as possible, but to make sure they did not take out the balloon, in which case they would lose money.
The results showed that students taking acetaminophen undertook a significantly higher risk during exercise compared to the more cautious and conservative placebo group. In general, those on acetaminophen pumped (and broke) their balloons more than they commanded.
“If you’re a risk averse, you can pump a few times and then decide to cash in because you don’t want the balloon to explode and you lose your money,” Way said.
“But for those who are on acetaminophen, as the balloon gets bigger, we think they have less anxiety and less negative emotions about how big the balloon gets and the possibility of it exploding.”
In addition to the balloon simulation, participants also completed surveys during two of the experiments, assessing the level of risk they perceived in various hypothetical scenarios, such as betting one day’s income on a sporting event, bungee jumping. on a high bridge or driving a car without a seat belt.
In one of the surveys, acetaminophen use appears to reduce the perceived risk compared to the control group, although in another similar survey, the same effect was not observed.
In general, however, based on an average of the results of different tests, the team concludes that there is a significant relationship between the administration of acetaminophen and the choice of a higher risk, even if the observed effect may be slight.
That being said, they recognize the apparent effects of the drug on risk-taking behavior could also be interpreted by other types of psychological processes, such as reduced anxiety, probably.
“It may be that as the balloon increases in size, those receiving the placebo feel an increase in anxiety about a potential explosion,” the researchers explain.
“When the anxiety becomes too great, they end the process. Acetaminophen can reduce this anxiety, leading to a higher risk.”
Exploring such alternative psychological explanations for this phenomenon – as well as investigating the biological mechanisms responsible for the effects of acetaminophen on people’s choices in situations like this – should be addressed in future research, the team said.
While scientists are no doubt, scientists will also have future opportunities to further investigate the role and effectiveness of acetaminophen in relieving pain more broadly, after studies in recent years have found that in many medical scenarios , the drug may be ineffective in relieving pain. , and sometimes no better than a placebo, in addition to inviting other types of health problems.
Despite the seriousness of these findings, acetaminophen remains one of the most widely used drugs in the world, considered an essential drug by the World Health Organization and recommended by the CDC as the main drug you should probably take to relieve symptoms if you think it would could have coronavirus.
Given what we learn about acetaminophen, we may want to rethink some of these tips, Way said.
“Maybe someone with mild symptoms of COVID-19 may not think it’s as risky to leave home and meet people if they take acetaminophen,” Way said.
We really need more research on the effects of acetaminophen and other over-the-counter medications on the choices and risks we take.
The findings are reported in Cognitive and social affective neuroscience.
A version of this article was first published in September 2020.