Research suggests that the most common analgesics in the world induce dangerous behavior

One of the Most Consumed Drugs in the US – and The most commonly used analgesics in the world – As new evidence suggests, it does more than just remove headaches.

Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and widely marketed under the brand names Tylenol and Panador, also carries a risk, according to a new study measuring changes in behavior of people under the influence of common over-the-counter drugs.

“Acetaminophen doesn’t seem to make people feel negative when they think of dangerous activities-they don’t feel scared.” To tell Baldwin Way, a neuroscientist at Ohio State University.

“Since almost 25% of the US population takes acetaminophen weekly, a reduction in risk perception and an increased risk burden can have a significant impact on society.”

This finding was added to a recent series of studies, and the effect of acetaminophen on pain relief extends to various psychological processes, affecting people Receptiveness that hurt emotions, Experience Less empathy, And Cognitive slowdown..

Similarly, new research suggests that when people take acetaminophen, it can impair their emotional ability to recognize and assess risk. The effect may be slight, but acetaminophen The most common drug ingredient in America, Included in over 600 over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

In a series of experiments involving more than 500 college students as participants, Way and his team showed that 1000 mg of acetamino acid randomly assigned to participants compared to placebo given randomly. We measured how fen (a single recommended maximum adult dose) affected their risk-taking behavior in the control group.

In each experiment, participants had to pump up an uninflated balloon on a computer screen, each pump making fictitious money. Their instruction is to pump the balloon as much as possible to make as much imaginary money as possible, but don’t break the balloon.

Results showed that students who took acetaminophen were significantly more engaged in risk-taking during exercise compared to the more cautious and conservative placebo group. Overall, those taking acetaminophen pumped (and bursted) the balloon more than the control.

“If you hate risk, you might decide to pump out a few times and then cash out because you don’t want to burst the balloon and lose your money.” Way says..

“But people using acetaminophen believe that as the balloon grows, there is less anxiety and negative feelings about the size of the balloon and the potential for rupture.”

In addition to balloon simulations, participants were asked to fill out a survey during two experiments to risk their perceived risk in various virtual scenarios such as betting their daily income on sporting events, jumping off a bridge with high bungee, or driving. Rated level Cars without seat belts.

In one study, ingestion of acetaminophen appeared to reduce the perceived risk compared to controls, but in another similar study, the same effect was not observed.

However, overall, there is a significant association between taking acetaminophen and choosing more risk, based on the average of the results of various tests, even with a small observed effect. The team concludes that there is.

That said, he acknowledges that the apparent effects of drugs on risk-taking behavior can also be interpreted by other types of psychological processes, perhaps reducing anxiety.

“As the size of the balloon grows, people using placebo may feel more anxious about the possibility of an explosion.” Researchers explain..

“If they become too anxious, they will end the trial. Acetaminophen reduces this anxiety, and thus increases the risk of taking it.”

The search for an explanation for such a psychological alternative to this phenomenon – investigating the biological mechanisms responsible for the effects of acetaminophen on people’s choice in these situations – will be addressed in future studies. The team says it needs to.

While they do, scientists will undoubtedly have the opportunity to explore more extensively the role and efficacy of acetaminophen in pain relief. Recent research In addition to inducing other types of health problems, in many medical scenarios, this drug may not be effective in relieving pain and may be as good as placebo.

Despite the severity of these discoveries, acetaminophen is still one of the most used drugs in the world, Essential Medicine by the World Health Organization,and CDC recommended If you think you may have, you are probably the first drug you should take to relieve symptoms Coronavirus..

Weay may want to revisit some of that advice in the light of what we’re finding about acetaminophen.

“Probably mild person COVID-19 (New Coronavirus Infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when first appearing Depending on your symptoms, you may not think it is dangerous to leave home and meet people if you are taking acetaminophen. ” Way says..

“We need more research into the effects of acetaminophen and other over-the-counter drugs on our choices and risks.”

The survey results are Social cognitive emotion neuroscience..