Summary: Tylenol or acetaminophen is an over-the-counter painkiller. It is among the most popular painkillers in the US and the world. But new studies show that this drug has some psychological effects that are hard to spot. It seems to raise risk-taking behavior. It is popular because it is so safe. It rarely causes severe side effects.
Tylenol/paracetamol/acetaminophen is the most popular painkiller in the world. It is sold over the counter, so you need no prescription to take it. It is also in hundreds of other remedies, such as those for colds and flu.
But a new study shows that this drug can change how the brain works. It may change thinking patterns, affect brain health, and promote risk-taking behavior.
Acetaminophen is popular for a reason. It is still among the safest of all painkillers. Side effects are rare, and life-threatening side effects are extremely rare. Doctors widely accept it as one of the safest painkillers.
But is this common painkiller really that safe?
In the past, researchers mostly looked at how drugs harm organs like the liver, the kidney, or even the gut. Acetaminophen does not cause sedation and does not appear to change brain function. It is also safe for other organs. It may harm the liver, but only when people take too much. Overall, it is known as one of the safest painkillers ever made. That is why you can buy it almost anywhere without a prescription.
But researchers now think some of its side effects might not have been fully found. These side effects are mild and build slowly. They are also harder to spot, such as a rise in risk-taking behavior.
Does Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Make You Take More Risks?
This new study was published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. It looked at quieter but more serious effects of this common painkiller on the brain.
This new study suggests that acetaminophen may do more than ease pain. It may also affect how the mind works. It may make people less sensitive to hurt feelings, lower empathy, and even dull some thinking skills. It may even lower people’s ability to sense risk.
For the study, researchers ran a series of experiments with university students. In all, they did three studies with about 500 people. They measured how a randomly given dose of 1000 mg of acetaminophen could change behavior. They compared these changes with the placebo group.
The students did not know whether they got acetaminophen or the placebo. Next, they played a risk-taking game on a computer. In the game, they had to pump up a balloon as much as they could without popping it. The bigger the balloon, the more pretend money or points they won. But they lost all the money or points if the balloon burst.
The researchers found that people who took acetaminophen had less anxiety and fewer negative emotions. So they were more likely to take risks.
Besides the game, they also filled out surveys about risk-taking. They answered questions about risky acts, such as jumping from a tall bridge or driving without a seatbelt.
Of course, researchers agree that these studies might not fully match real life. Still, they showed that acetaminophen can affect how the mind works.
So, what does it mean for people living with pain or people who use Tylenol/acetaminophen?
This study suggests that even though it is one of the safest painkillers, it may have side effects that are not on the drug label. It may affect how people think and feel. This does not mean you should avoid the drug when you have pain and fever.
But it does show that you should not overuse any drug. Science does not know every harm a drug can do. Some harms are very quiet and hard to spot. Also, these studies were short-term. No one knows how much this drug can change the mind or brain health with steady use or over the long run.
Padda Institute is an interventional pain management clinic in St. Louis, MO. We help our patients get relief from chronic pain with care plans built for their needs. So, contact us now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tylenol affect your brain?
Yes, in subtle ways. Acetaminophen does not sedate you. That is why people long assumed it left the brain alone. Newer research shows it can shift how the mind works. People become less sensitive to hurt feelings, show less empathy, and may sense risk less sharply. These effects are mild and build quietly. That is exactly why they went unnoticed for so long.
How did researchers test whether acetaminophen increases risk-taking?
There were three studies with about 500 university students. Each person got either 1,000 mg of acetaminophen or a placebo without knowing which. Then they played a computer game. They pumped up a virtual balloon for points, and lost the points if it popped. They also answered survey questions about risky choices. The acetaminophen group felt less anxiety and fewer negative emotions, so they took more risks.
What are the risks of acetaminophen?
Acetaminophen is still one of the safest painkillers. Serious side effects are rare, and life-threatening reactions are extremely rare. It can harm the liver, but mainly when people take too much. The newer concern is psychological. It is a subtle rise in risk-taking and a dulling of emotions that you will not find printed on the drug label.
Is it safe to take acetaminophen every day?
Nobody knows yet. The risk-taking studies were short-term. So science cannot say how much regular, long-term use changes behavior or brain health. What is clear is that no drug should be overused. Not every harm of a medicine is known, and the quiet ones are the hardest to catch. If you need a painkiller every day, that is a pain problem worth treating at its source.
Should I stop taking Tylenol for pain or fever?
No. This research does not mean you should avoid acetaminophen when you have pain or a fever. It is still among the safest options you can buy without a prescription. The lesson is to use it when you need it, not by habit. And remember that it is also in hundreds of cold and flu remedies. So you may be taking it without knowing it.
Source:
Keaveney, A., Peters, E., & Way, B. (2020). Effects of acetaminophen on risk taking. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 15(7), 725–732. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsaa108
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
