How risky is Tylenol?

Tylenol
A recent study suggests that taking a maximum recommended dose of the pain reliever with acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, can lead to liver damage in healthy people.
Photo Illustration by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

A pain reliever that many of us have in our medicine cabinets is under scrutiny.

A new study shows that acetaminophen, a leading analgesic taken by some 100 million people in the U.S., may cause liver damage when taken in high doses. Acetaminophen is the main ingredient in Tylenol and some 200 other pain relief products.

Participants in the study took the equivalent of eight extra-strength Tylenol tablets each day for two weeks. Of those participants, 40 percent had test results that pointed to liver damage.

MPR's Tom Crann talked with our regular medical analyst, Dr. Jon Hallberg, about these findings.

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