Is Turmeric Safe With Tylenol?

Answer

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Turmeric is considered safe to take with Tylenol (acetaminophen). There are no known drug interactions between the two. In fact, Tylenol would generally be the pain reliever of choice to combine with turmeric since other over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen) do interact with it.

Turmeric With Pain Relievers: Use Caution With NSAIDs

As mentioned, turmeric is safe with Tylenol but does have an interaction with some pain relievers, notably NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen.

Studies have shown that one of the active constituents of turmeric (curcumin) may have antiplatelet effects, and increase the risk of bleeding, especially if you are already taking a blood thinner. The risk is also increased if you are taking other drugs that have antiplatelet effects (as NSAIDs do).

Tylenol (acetaminophen) does not have this effect on the blood, and thus, is safe to take with turmeric in this regard.

It should be noted that there is some conflicting evidence as it relates to turmeric and being safe for the liver. There have been very rare reports of liver damage with turmeric use, but it is not clear if it contributed to the risk for liver damage (other factors were likely at play). Additionally, several studies have noted that it may actually have a liver-protecting effect.

I mention this because Tylenol overdoses are strongly associated with liver damage, but the drug is regarded as safe if used as directed. Overall, if you have any sort of pre-existing liver disease, I wouldn't use turmeric and Tylenol together until more is known about their effects. However, if you are a healthy individual, Tylenol and turmeric are considered safe to use.

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