There are persistent concerns and confusion making their rounds about treating coronavirus symptoms with ibuprofen. In fact, a health minister in France—among others—recently warned that taking ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could worsen symptoms in people infected with the bug. Plus, this French “minister of misinformation” recommended something that is clearly wrong—to take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) for their symptoms instead.
In my view, following that advice would be disastrous for three big reasons…
First, as many physicians and health organizations around the world pointed out, at the time of this Eurocrat’s recommendation, there was no real scientific evidence that taking ibuprofen or any other NSAID worsens coronavirus.
Second, as I have regularly reported, you should never take acetaminophen for anything…ever.
Third, there is on record some very worrisome evidence that taking acetaminophen specifically for a respiratory illness can cause serious harm. And we’ve known about this evidence for a very long time…
Acetaminophen is a disaster for lung health, too
Fifteen years ago, a study published in the International Journal of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology found that taking acetaminophen doesn’t help with respiratory infections. Instead, it actually makes them worse! (The publisher of this journal also publishes my medical textbooks.)
Specifically, the researchers found that acetaminophen harms both the specialized white blood cells that protect the lungs and the lung cells themselves.
The extent of the damage strongly relates to the dose and duration of acetaminophen treatment (demonstrating the dose-response relation that toxicologists look for to identify poisons). In fact, after just one to four hours of exposure to acetaminophen, 53 percent of the specialized white blood cells and 34 percent of the lung cells were damaged. (The concentrations of acetaminophen used in the study matched the doses used in medical practice.)
In their conclusion, the researchers stated that taking acetaminophen could be a major risk factor for lung damage during a respiratory illness. So, why in the world would those French medical bureaucrats recommend acetaminophen for respiratory infections like the coronavirus is beyond reason!
Frankly, as I mentioned at the beginning of this Dispatch, you should never take this over-the-counter drug for any reason. It lands between 55,000 and 80,000 men and women in the emergency room during a normal year. And it’s the No. 1 cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. Plus, it’s actually has been shown to prolong pain—rather than relieve it!
Instead, as the number of coronavirus cases continued to climb in the U.S., we should all focus on the practical steps we can take RIGHT NOW to boost immunity. In fact, tune back in to tomorrow’s Daily Dispatch for an important report on the No. 1 daily supplement you should start taking immediately to help bolster your natural defenses.
You can also learn about all of my top immune-health recommendations in my Pandemic Protection Playbook: How to become “immune ready” in every season. You can learn more about this essential guide by clicking here!
Source:
“Acetaminophen decreases intracellular glutathione levels and modulates cytokine production in human alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes in vitro.” Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Aug;37(8)1727-37. doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2005.03.005