Poor diet, old age: paracetamol is dangerous even when respecting the maximum doses

People with low selenium can quickly overdose on paracetamol, even if they follow the recommendations on the box. These are the conclusions of research from the University of Bath (UK).

Often consumed as a candy to relieve pain and fever, the paracetamol is yet a major cause of liver failure. Naomi Musenga, the 22-year-old girl mocked by an SAMU operator when she called for help in December 2017, died “of paracetamol intoxication absorbed by self-medication over several days”.

Difficulty eliminating the drug quickly enough

For adults, the maximum recommended daily dose is 4 g (two 500 mg tablets taken four times). Based on these figures, the English researchers discovered that the micronutrient selenium affects the rate at which the painkiller is eliminated from the body. In this case, swallowing 4 grams of paracetamol in one day is dangerous for health.

“People with a selenium deficiency may have trouble clearing the drug fast enough to keep their livers healthy.explains Dr. Charareh Pourzand, Director of Research. They can overdose even if they follow the dosage guidelines,” she continues.

70 tablets per year

Paracetamol is a drug widely consumed throughout the world: a person swallows an average of 70 tablets per year. “For most people, paracetamol is safe up to the dose indicated on the boxes. But if you’re frail, malnourished, or elderly, your selenium levels may be somewhat lowered, and for those people, I think it’s a bad idea to take paracetamol at the level currently considered safe.” says Charareh Pourzand.

It may be tempting to boost selenium levels through dietary supplements, but an excess of the micronutrient can be just as dangerous to the body as a deficiency. On the other hand, a balanced diet helps maintain selenium levels in the body, and therefore better support paracetamol, especially in the context of chronic pain.