ALT stands for alanine aminotransferase; it is a substance that is released into the blood when liver cells are damaged. Serum ALT levels will give you an idea if there is any liver cell damage occurring. A randomized, single-blind, placebo- controlled, diet-controlled (meals provided), longitudinal study of 145 healthy adults, appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol. 296 No. 1, July 5, 2006) indicated that acetaminophen use, even at recommended doses, causes liver damage. The subjects were given either four grams of acetaminophen (the maximum recommended daily dose) or a placebo for 14 days. The use of the acetaminophen increased ALT levels to nearly five times normal in 19% of the participants. No such increases were noted in the placebo group.
Additional information regarding Tylenol/acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in a variety of over-the-counter drugs, most notably Tylenol. Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of calls to the Poison Control Centers across the United States. It is estimated that acetaminophen poisoning calls exceed 100,000 per year. Studies indicate that acetaminophen overdose results in over 56,000 injuries, 2,500 hospitalizations, and an estimated 450 deaths per year.
The most significant risk involving acetaminophen is acute liver toxicity. Data acquired from the U.S. Acute Liver Failure Study Group registry indicates that nearly 50% of all acute liver failure in this country is linked to acetaminophen poisoning. There have even been reported cases of acute liver toxicity in individuals whose acetaminophen dosage did not exceed 4 grams/day. Surprisingly, a dosage of 4 grams/day falls within the recommended dosage for Extra Strength Tylenol.
Acetaminophen based drugs have been the cause of acute liver failure in hospitals around the country. While the drug can be safe in small doses, it can potentially be fatal for those who consume alcohol, take the drug in high doses, or simply use it regularly.
Over the counter and prescription medications certainly have their place when used responsibly. Yet as we have seen in our previous posts, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetaminiphen can be dangerous. It would make sense to have a knowledge of natural ways to decrease inflammation. There are many nutraceuticals (supplements and herbs) that have shown and been proven with research to work very well and should be the first line therapy for inflammation along with diet, exercise and stress management, before we quickly turn to more dangerous medications. Some include, hops, tumeric, ginger, bromelain, boswellia, rosemary, and proteolytic enzymes. There is also growing research regarding their efficacy and safety. For instance here is some published peer review research regarding hops:
1. Veera R. Konda, Amy J. Hall, Anuradha Desai, Brian J. Carroll, Gary Darland, Jeff S. Bland , Matthew L. Tripp. Anti-inflammatory mechanism of rhoiso-alpha acids from hop extract. 2006 Experimental Biology meeting abstracts. The FASEB Journal: 2006;20:A1145.
"These results demonstrate that RIAA from hop extract inhibit inflammation through multiple mechanisms, including the NF-κB signaling pathway."
2. Matthew L. Tripp, Gary Darland, Daniel O. Lukaczer, Jeffrey S. Bland. Hop and modified hop extracts have potent in vitro anti-inflammatory properties. Published Proceedings from 1st International Symposium on Humulus. Editors K.E. Hummer and J.A. Henning Acta Horiculturae 668, ISHS 2005.
"We conclude that RIAA, IAA, THIAA, HHIAA, BA, and AA have strong potential as anti-inflammatory agents and predict, from our models, that they may have a low GI toxicity. An RIAA based anti-inflammatory preparation, Meta050, was tested clinically in a human pilot trial and showed efficacy against osteoarthritis pain."
3. Daniel O. Lukaczer, Gary Darland, Matthew L. Tripp, DeAnn J. Liska, Robert H. Lerman, Barbara Schiltz, Jeffrey S. Bland. A pilot trial evaluating Meta050, a proprietary combination of reduced iso-alpha acids, rosemary extract, and oleanolic acid in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Phytotherapy Research. 2005;19:864-69. PMID: 16261517
"These observations suggest that Meta050 at a dosage of 440 mg three times a day has a beneficial effect on pain in arthritis subjects."
4. DeAnn J. Liska, Matthew L. Tripp, Daniel O. Lukaczer, Robert H. Lerman, Gary Darland, Barbara Schiltz, Jeffrey S. Bland. Randomized cross-over study of RIAA, rosemary extract, and oleanolic acid on gastrointestinal integrity using fecal Calprotectin. 2005 Experimental Biology meeting abstracts. The FASEB Journal: .
"Conclusion: The RIAA, rosemary extract, and oleanolic acid formula does not lead to GI inflammation after 14 days, as compared to a standard NSAID. These data suggest that this combination formula may not carry the risk of ulcers that NSAIDs commonly produce."
Views(1213)
Additional information regarding Tylenol/acetaminophen 