How Many Advil Can I Take At Once?

Answer

Hello and thanks for reaching out to us! Advil contains the drug ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and each caplet (or Liqui-Gel) of Advil contains 200mg ibuprofen.

Now, ibuprofen has different dosing recommendations depending on whether or not you are self-treating using over-the-counter ibuprofen or you are being directed by your doctor.

Overall, the maximum dose of ibuprofen that is recommended at one time is 800mg, or 4 Advil caplets. However, this dose should only be utilized if directed by your doctor. If you are self-treating, the maximum dose that is recommended is 400mg at one time, or 2 Advil caplets (liquid-gels) per dose.

Prescription Vs. Self-Treating With Ibuprofen

If you look at the packaging of any over-the-counter ibuprofen product, Advil included, it will say that the maximum dose is 2 caplets/tablets (400mg of ibuprofen) per dose:

However, for prescription ibuprofen, which comes in strengths of 400mg, 600mg, and 800mg per tablet,  the maximum amount per dose is 800mg (or 4 caplets of Advil).

So, why the difference in prescription versus over-the-counter use if we're talking about the same drug (ibuprofen)?

Ibuprofen, while a very effective drug, does have some side effects that are concerning with long-term use, and the use of high doses. For example, long-term use and high dosages can increase the risk of cardiovascular events and can increase the risk of stomach bleeds/ulcers.

Additionally, over-the-counter use of ibuprofen, which is intended for self-treatment without the requirement of a doctor providing direction, is generally only used for mild to moderate pain relief, and for the treatment of migraines. Higher dosages, such as is found with prescription products, tend to be more effective for more complex diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, which often needs treatment from your doctor.

Bottom-Line

You certainly can use over-the-counter Advil to attain prescription dosages, but the bottom line is over-the-counter use of Advil should be limited to 400mg per dose (2 Advil) unless otherwise directed by your doctor. If they direct you to take more, you can take up to 800mg (4 tablets) per dose.

Similarly, the maximum daily dosage of ibuprofen is 3,200mg but, again, if you are self-treating and are not under the supervision of a doctor, the maximum daily dose of over-the-counter ibuprofen recommended is 1,200mg (or 6 Advil caplets).

Final Words

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