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The most common painkiller in the world can cause dangerous behavior
A group of researchers asked 500 students to inflate a balloon without blowing it up.
This bizarre experiment led them to the conclusion that the drug sold in the world causes us to take unnecessary risks.
And yes, that too is related to Corona
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Paracetamol
Paracetamol
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Sunday, 13 September 2020, 11:28
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Used too often?
Painkillers (Photo: shutterstock)
Paracetamol drugs - also known as acetaminophen, or paracetamol - increase our tendency to take risks, according to a new American study.
The study measured changes in people's behavior when under the influence of over-the-counter medications "Acetaminophen seems to make people feel less negative when they see dangerous activities - they just do not feel scared," said brain researcher Baldwin Wei of Ohio State University.
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To the full article
The results of this study, published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, are in addition to a recent study at the same university that suggests that the effects of acetaminophen on pain reduction also extend to various psychological processes.
According to a previous study, acetaminophen lowers the ability of people to absorb damaged emotions, reduces empathy and even dulls cognitive functions.
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The present study examined people's emotional ability to perceive and assess risks when taking acetaminophen.
According to the researchers, although these are side effects that may be mild, they are definitely worth noting, as acetaminophen is a very common ingredient in medications, and is found in more than 600 different types of medications.
"With nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population taking acetaminophen each week, reduced risk perceptions and increased risk-taking may affect society," Wei said.
This is the end of every balloon
A series of experiments with the participation of over 500 students at the university, Wei and his team measured how taking 1,000 mg of acetaminophen (maximum dose recommended for adults) affected the behavior of the participants with regard to risk taking placebo given randomly to a control group.
In each experiment, participants were asked to inflate A virtual balloon on a computer screen, where every blow to the balloon made them money.Their instructions were to make as much money as possible by inflating the balloon as much as possible, but be careful not to blow it up, as in this case they would lose the money. Greater risks during exercise, relative to the more cautious and conservative placebo group, i.e., those on acetaminophen inflated (and also inflated) their balloons more than the control group.
Surprising research tool.
A man inflates a balloon (Photo: ShutterStock)
In addition to the balloon trial, participants completed surveys during two of the trials, in which they were asked to rate the levels of risk they perceived in various hypothetical scenarios, such as sports betting, bungee jumping or driving without a seat belt.
In one of these surveys, acetaminophen consumption appeared to reduce the perceived risk compared to the control group, but in the other survey the same effect was not observed.
Based on the average of the various test results, the research team concluded that there is a significant association between taking acetaminophen and taking risks, even if the observed effect may be only mild.
However, they admit that the apparent effects of the drug on risk-taking behavior can be interpreted through other psychological processes, such as reduced anxiety.
"It is possible that as the balloon grew, those who received a placebo felt increasing amounts of anxiety about a potential outbreak, and when the anxiety became too much, they finished the experiment. Paracetamol may reduce this anxiety, thus leading to greater risk-taking."
Therefore, they believe that the psychological effects of common painkillers should be examined in further studies.
And yes, it has to do with Corona as well
As mentioned, acetaminophen is one of the most widely used drugs in the world, and it is even considered by the World Health Organization as an essential drug.
In addition, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acetaminophen is a recommended drug for relieving mild symptoms of corona.
"In light of what we're finding out about acetaminophen, we may want to rethink some of these tips," Wei said.
"Perhaps someone with mild COVID-19 symptoms will not think it is dangerous to leave home and meet with people if he is taking acetaminophen," the researcher added, "We really need more research on the effects of acetaminophen and other over-the-counter medications on the choices and risks we take."
Until that happens, we will continue to take paracetamol when our head hurts.
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