Latest news with #KingstonUniversity
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Urgent warning as Ireland's most common painkiller linked to killer illness
A stark alert has been sounded over a widely-used medication in Ireland that could be stealthily inflicting damage on your liver. The tablet, commonly taken for ailments ranging from headaches to muscle aches, is typically safe if the advised dose isn't surpassed. Kingston University's senior lecturer in pharmacy practice, Dipa Kamdar, cautioned that even slightly exceeding the recommended amount of this drug can pose "extremely dangerous" risks to liver health. While many might think alcohol consumption is the main culprit behind liver harm, Dipa highlighted several "often overlooked" daily practices that could lead to grave outcomes like cirrhosis – irreversible liver scarring – or outright liver failure. She pointed out that indulging in high-sugar or high-saturated fat foods, smoking, and insufficient exercise are all potential pathways to these perilous conditions, as is the overconsumption of paracetamol, reports the Mirror. "Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible," Dipa penned in The Conversation. "One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea. "As the damage advances, more pronounced indicators can appear. One of the most noticeable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow." The WHO indicate a 452% increase in liver deaths between 1971 and 2012 in Ireland. Live disease is also one of the most common illnesses in Ireland. The breakdown of paracetamol in the liver generates a toxic by-product named NAPQI, normally counteracted by glutathione, a protective agent. However, excessive dosages mean the body becomes swamped with toxins, potentially overwhelming the liver. Dipa issued a stark caution: "In an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells," this potentially causing acute liver failure, which may lead to death. "Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly." There's been a raft of studies concerning the risks associated with paracetamol consumption, some of which ties even minimal doses to liver failure. Writing for The Conversation, University of Oxford's honorary senior research fellow Andrew Moore highlighted: "Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk."
Euronews
3 days ago
- Health
- Euronews
Euronews Tech Talks Podcast
In January 2013, the world of sports was shaken by an interview conducted by the American powerhouse broadcaster Oprah Winfrey with the cycling champion Lance Armstrong. Armstrong, who had won seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005, publicly admitted using banned substances to enhance his performance during official competitions, confirming long-standing suspicions that had followed him for years. Armstrong left a mark on the history of doping. As a cancer survivor, his achievements represented a sign of hope and resilience, and what happened next was described by many as the fall of a hero. It goes without saying that Armstrong's case was neither the first nor the last doping scandal. But why exactly do athletes resort to doping? What substances do they use, and why are they so difficult to detect? Euronews Tech Talks set out to better understand doping with Andrea Petróczi, professor of public health at Kingston University in the United Kingdom. She also regularly provides consultancy to the World Anti-Doping Agency. What is doping? Petróczi said that researchers have not yet agreed on the exact definition of doping. However, she said the World Anti-Doping Code provides clear rules for athletes to understand what doping is and who can be accused of it. 'Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the anti-doping rules violations set forth in Article 2.1 through Article 2.11 of the Code,' the Code states. There are 11 anti-doping rule violations, which include not only the use of substances but also the attempted use of these agents. Moreover, even if an athlete did not intend to cheat, they can still face sanctions if a banned substance is found in their system. Some of these rules apply not only to the athletes but also to their support personnel. According to the Code, any substance or method that meets two out of three criteria is classified as prohibited. These criteria are: evidence that the substance enhances performance, evidence that it poses a health risk, and evidence that it goes against the spirit of sport. Based on these criteria, 'a substance doesn't necessarily have to be performance-enhancing to be prohibited". Petróczi said. "If it's deemed risky to the athlete's health and against the spirit of sport, then it can be added to the list,' she added. The most well-known doping substances are EPO and anabolic steroids. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a hormone produced by the kidneys to stimulate the production of red blood cells, helping transport oxygen to the muscles. It is commonly used in sports like marathons or cycling, as it boosts endurance. By contrast, anabolic steroids are synthetic compounds similar to testosterone that promote muscle growth, and they are used in sprint or weight lifting competitions. Caffeine was also considered a prohibited substance and was reintroduced only in 2004. Although now allowed, it has since then been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's monitoring programme. Is doping too difficult to detect? Andrea Petróczi stated that 'doping is not difficult to detect because the detection limit is low'. However, she acknowledged the major challenges in detecting doping and argued that they depend on multiple factors, including whether the anti-doping authorities know or not about the substance being used and the timing of the doping test. For instance, Petróczi explained that microdoses of prohibited substances are complicated to identify, not because of their small amount, but because they remain in the body for only a short time. This makes them hard to identify unless testing occurs within a narrow window. She also pointed out that given the advancements in equipment, diets and training, it is more difficult to understand the limit between excellent preparation and the use of doping substances. 'In the future, what poses a challenge for anti-doping is not a new drug necessarily," Petróczi said. "But the combination of the existing drugs with data science, with specialised training, with equipment, each providing a marginal gain, but in combination, the synergistic effect,' she added.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Urgent warning as world's most common painkiller linked to killer disease
The drug - which is the first line of defence against a number of common ailments - could be causing irreparable damage to your liver, according to a senior pharmacy practice lecturer at Kingston University An urgent warning has been issued about one of the world's most common drugs - which could secretly be harming your liver. The pill - which is used for anything from headaches to muscle pain - is generally safe as long as the recommended dosage isn't exceeded. Senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at Kingston University, Dipa Kamdar, has warned that even taking a few pills over the recommendation could have "extremely dangerous" consequences for your liver. Most people would assume that drinking alcohol is the primary cause of liver damage, but Dipa warned there are a number of "often overlooked" everyday habits that can "eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis - permanent scarring of the liver - or liver failure". She said that eating foods high in sugar or saturated fat, smoking, and exercising enough can all lead to the life-threatening conditions, as can taking too much paracetamol. "Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible," Dipa wrote in The Conversation. "One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea. "As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow." Each year, liver disease kills more than 11,000 people in the UK - which amounts to more than 31 deaths each day, according to The British Liver Trust. The charity warned that while deaths from other major diseases are falling, deaths from liver disease have quadrupled in the past five decades. When paracetamol is broken down by the liver, it produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI - which is usually neutralised by a protective substance called glutathione. However, when someone takes too much of the drug, the body is flooded with the toxins and the liver can become overwhelmed. Dipa explained: "In an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells," Dipa warned. This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal. "Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly." Researchers have undertaken numerous studies into the dangers of taking paracetamol, with some linking low doses to liver failure. Honorary senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, Andrew Moore, wrote in The Conversation : "Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk."
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Urgent paracetamol warning as world's most common painkiller is linked to disease that kills 30 Brits every day
Taking more than the recommended dose can 'overwhelm' your liver - with dangerous consequences DRUG ALERT Urgent paracetamol warning as world's most common painkiller is linked to disease that kills 30 Brits every day A PHARMACIST has issued a warning about the world's most used painkiller paracetamol, warning it could be "quietly harming" your liver. The pill is safe to take for headaches, muscle pain and fever, as long as you're sticking to recommended amounts. Advertisement 2 Exceeding recommended doses of paracetamol could lead to liver damage Credit: Getty But "taking too much – even slightly exceeding the recommended dose – can be extremely dangerous for your liver", warned Dipa Kamdar, a senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at Kingston University. It's easy to assume that alcohol is the main culprit of liver damage. "In fact, many everyday habits, often overlooked, can slowly cause damage that may eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis - permanent scarring of the liver - or liver failure," the pharmacist wrote in The Conversation. This can include eating foods high in saturated fat or sugar, as well as smoking or not exercising enough - as well as taking too much paracetamol. Advertisement "Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible," Dipa said. "One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea. "As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow." Liver disease kills more than 11,000 people in the UK each year, according to The British Liver Trust. Advertisement That amounts to more than 31 deaths a day, the charity said. It warned that liver disease deaths in the UK have quadrupled in the last 50 years, at the same time as deaths from other major diseases have fallen. Scientists discover that even really low doses of paracetamol could damage your heart Dipa explained paracetamol could be dangerous to the liver due to the way the organ processes the painkiller. As it breaks down the drug, it produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI. Advertisement Normally, the body neutralises this by producing a protective substance known as glutathione. But in high doses, the liver can become overwhelmed, potentially leading to potentially life-threatening damage. "In an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells," Dipa warned. "This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal. Advertisement "Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm," the pharmacist went on. "Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly." 2 Studies have looked into the potential dangers of taking paracetamol. Advertisement Research published in 2013 showed a link between liver failure and low doses of paracetamol. As Andrew Moore, an honorary senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, wrote in The Conversation: "Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. "The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk." Other habits damaging your liver Dipa shared other habits that may be silently damaging your liver. Advertisement Drinking too much alcohol is the obvious one. When you drink, your liver works to break down the alcohol and clear it from your system, but having too much of it at once overwhelms this process and causes toxic by products to build up and damage liver cells. This can cause fat to accumulate in the liver and continued drinking can progress it to alcoholic hepatitis and then cirrhosis. Experts recommend sticking to no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and including alcohol-free days to give your liver time to recover. Advertisement It's also worth taking a look at your diet to protect your liver, as foods high in saturated fat - like red meat, fried foods and processed snacks - can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to liver fat accumulation. Symptoms of liver disease Most types of liver disease do not cause any symptoms in the early stages. Once you start to get symptoms of liver disease, your liver is already damaged and scarred. This is known as cirrhosis. Symptoms of cirrhosis include: Feeling very tired and weak all the time Loss of appetite – which may lead to weight loss Loss of sex drive (libido) Yellow skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) Itchy skin Feeling or being sick Source: NHS Sugary foods and drinks are also a major risk factor, the pharmacist said. Not exercising enough can contribute to weight gain, which ups the risk of liver disease. But exercising can benefit your liver even in you don't lose weight, Dipa noted. Advertisement Finally, the chemicals from cigarette smoke can make your liver work harder and contribute to cirrhosis. The British Liver Trust says 90 per cent of liver disease cases can be prevented by lifestyle changes. "You can protect [your liver] by drinking alcohol in moderation, quitting smoking, taking medications responsibly, eating a balanced diet, staying active and keeping hydrated," Dipa said.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Urgent paracetamol warning as world's most common painkiller is linked to disease that kills 30 Brits every day
A PHARMACIST has issued a warning about the world's most used painkiller paracetamol, warning it could be "quietly harming" your liver. The pill is safe to take for headaches, muscle pain and fever, as long as you're sticking to recommended amounts. But "taking too much – even slightly exceeding the recommended dose – can be extremely dangerous for your liver", warned Dipa Kamdar, a senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at Kingston University. It's easy to assume that alcohol is the main culprit of liver damage. "In fact, many everyday habits, often overlooked, can slowly cause damage that may eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis - permanent scarring of the liver - or liver failure," the pharmacist wrote in The Conversation. This can include eating foods high in saturated fat or sugar, as well as smoking or not exercising enough - as well as taking too much paracetamol. "Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible," Dipa said. "One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea. "As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow." Liver disease kills more than 11,000 people in the UK each year, according to The British Liver Trust. That amounts to more than 31 deaths a day, the charity said. It warned that liver disease deaths in the UK have quadrupled in the last 50 years, at the same time as deaths from other major diseases have fallen. Scientists discover that even really low doses of paracetamol could damage your heart Dipa explained paracetamol could be dangerous to the liver due to the way the organ processes the painkiller. As it breaks down the drug, it produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI. Normally, the body neutralises this by producing a protective substance known as glutathione. But in high doses, the liver can become overwhelmed, potentially leading to potentially life-threatening damage. "In an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells," Dipa warned. "This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal. "Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm," the pharmacist went on. "Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly." 2 Studies have looked into the potential dangers of taking paracetamol. Research published in 2013 showed a link between liver failure and low doses of paracetamol. As Andrew Moore, an honorary senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, wrote in The Conversation: "Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. "The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk." Other habits damaging your liver Dipa shared other habits that may be silently damaging your liver. Drinking too much alcohol is the obvious one. When you drink, your liver works to break down the alcohol and clear it from your system, but having too much of it at once overwhelms this process and causes toxic by products to build up and damage liver cells. This can cause fat to accumulate in the liver and continued drinking can progress it to alcoholic hepatitis and then cirrhosis. Experts recommend sticking to no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and including alcohol-free days to give your liver time to recover. It's also worth taking a look at your diet to protect your liver, as foods high in saturated fat - like red meat, fried foods and processed snacks - can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to liver fat accumulation. Sugary foods and drinks are also a major risk factor, the pharmacist said. Not exercising enough can contribute to weight gain, which ups the risk of liver disease. But exercising can benefit your liver even in you don't lose weight, Dipa noted. Finally, the chemicals from cigarette smoke can make your liver work harder and contribute to cirrhosis. The British Liver Trust says 90 per cent of liver disease cases can be prevented by lifestyle changes. "You can protect [your liver] by drinking alcohol in moderation, quitting smoking, taking medications responsibly, eating a balanced diet, staying active and keeping hydrated," Dipa said.
