A warning has been issued to anyone who takes paracetamol after research highlighted an unexpected side effect. Scientists have discovered that the painkiller could be altering people's perception of risk.
Research from a team of scientists at the Ohio State University in the United States found people could be putting themselves at risk after taking the over-the-counter medication.
Those who take the drug are more likely to take risks than those given a placebo, a study has discovered, according to Birmingham Live.
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Neuroscientist Baldwin Way, co-author of the study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, said: "Acetaminophen seems to make people feel less negative emotion when they consider taking risky activities - they just don't feel as scared.
"With nearly 25% of the population in the US taking acetaminophen each week, reduced risk perceptions and increased risk-taking could have important effects on society."
Way continued: "If you're risk-averse, you may pump a few times and then decide to cash out because you don't want the balloon to burst and lose your money.
"But for those who are on acetaminophen, as the balloon gets bigger, we believe they have less anxiety and less negative emotion about how big the balloon is getting and the possibility of it bursting."
Paracetamol is used to treat headaches, pains and high temperatures and is one of the UK and Ireland's most trusted painkillers. Around 6.3 tonnes of the drug are sold in the UK every year, working out to 70 paracetamol per year for each UK adult.
It’s available to buy without a prescription from shops and pharmacies and most people can take paracetamol safely, including pregnant and breastfeeding women
However, the HSE warned patients and paracetamol users that it "can be dangerous if you take too much".
The HSE said: "Do not take paracetamol with other medicines containing paracetamol. These include some cough and cold medicines and some prescription medicines, so check the ingredients carefully.
"If you take 2 different medicines that contain paracetamol, there's a risk of overdose."
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