How Tylenol Might Be Destroying Men

How Tylenol Might Be Destroying Men

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Tylenol is one of the most popular pain relievers in the nation. After all, these pills are affordable, fast-acting, and pretty darn effective. Better yet, they’re incredibly convenient. All one has to do is swallow a couple of these pills with water to gain blissful relief from pain.

Many people are even dependent on Tylenol, taking it every single day. This can be especially true for mothers seeking comfort from pregnancy pains.

However, this habit of regularly taking Tylenol can have some very harmful side effects. And, according to a new health study, acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) is to blame.

According to Medical News Today:

The new research suggests that taking the common analgesic acetaminophen during pregnancy is not a good idea, especially for mothers expecting male babies.

The study, published in the journal Reproduction, examines the effects of acetaminophen in mouse fetuses and finds adverse effects on the masculinization of the mouse brain, extending all the way into adulthood.

Previous research has already indicated that acetaminophen can suppress the development of testosterone in male fetuses, potentially leading to developmental changes in the reproductive system and the brain.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone that drives the growth and development of the male body, as well as the “male programming” of the brain. In men, testosterone controls sex drive, bone and muscle mass, fat distribution, and the production of sperm and red blood cells.

In the previous studies in rodents, inhibited levels of testosterone in the fetuses were shown to raise the risk of testicular malformation in newborns.

But there are other health risks posed by inhibited levels of testosterone, and many of them manifest in the behavior of adult males, suggests the new research.

The first author of the study is Prof. Anders Hay-Schmidt, who, at the time of the study, was part of the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Acetaminophen inhibits masculinization

Prof. Hay-Schmidt and colleagues gave mice a dose of acetaminophen almost equivalent to that which pregnant women are usually recommended.

The researchers evaluated the male rodents’ behavior, looking at their aggressiveness toward other males and their ability to mark their territory, as well as their ability to mate.

As adults, the mice whose mothers had received acetaminophen performed significantly worse across all of the three criteria.

Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen resulted in alterations in the adults’ urinary marking behavior. The rodents were also less aggressive toward males invading their territory. The mice also had “reduced intromissions and ejaculations” during mating.

The behavioral changes noticed by the researchers were also backed up by investigations into the mice’s brains. The researchers found that the number of neurons had significantly decreased in the brain region that controls sex drive.

Specifically, in the acetaminophen-exposed male mice, the brain area called the “sexually dimorphic nucleus” in the anterior hypothalamus had “half as many neurons as the control mice.”

The corresponding author of the study, Dr. David Møbjerg Kristensen – of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences – comments on the findings.

He says, “We have demonstrated that a reduced level of testosterone means that male characteristics do not develop as they should. This also affects sex drive.”

In a trial, mice exposed to paracetamol at the fetal stage were simply unable to copulate in the same way as our control animals. Male programming had not been properly established during their fetal development, and this could be seen long afterwards in their adult life. It is very worrying.”

– Dr. David Møbjerg Kristensen

Dr. Kristenson is recommending that all pregnant mothers take great caution when taking acetaminophen.  He also suggests they consult a physician if they are unsure of how any medication will affect them, or will affect the baby.
After all, we need to remember that even commonplace medicines such as Tylenol have side effects. And, being aware of these
However, Dr. Kristenson does recognize the importance of taking medicine when ill. It is important to take care of oneself while pregnant with a child, and to do what is necessary to feel better. After all, not doing so is more harmful to the baby.
It appears that, for now, taking acetaminophen in great moderation (if at all) may be what is best for both mom and baby.