Paracetamol doubles asthma risk for teenagers, study finds

Teenagers could double their risk of developing asthma by taking paracetamol even once a month.

Adolescents who use the painkiller at least once a year have a 50 per cent increase in risk compared with those who don’t, a study found.

The international report, covering 300,000 teenagers in 50 countries, also found paracetamol users were more likely to suffer from eczema and allergic nasal conditions.

Scientists believe paracetamol may cause changes in the body that leave children more vulnerable to inflammation and allergies.

A report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine says paracetamol has not been proven to cause asthma, but there was a ‘significant association’.

More exposure to the drug resulted in a greater chance of developing the condition.

The study headed by Dr Richard Beasley, of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, sent written and video questionnaires to more than 300,000 children aged 13 and 14 asking them how often they used paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen.

Those using the drug monthly had double the risk of asthma, while those taking it at least once a year had a 50 per cent rise in risk.

For medium users, the risk of eczema was 43 per cent higher than non-users while high users were two-and-a-half times more likely to suffer skin rashes.

There were similarly higher risks of allergic nasal disorders among users.

This is a recent study and this makes us think to take proper care before taking Paracetamol. We must also know that Paracetamol is also a highly hepatotoxic drug.