Just take a Tylenol. This might as well be the American mantra. It’s the perspective that we have been indoctrinated to adopt—that our bodies are full of annoying symptoms that can be suppressed by drugs.

The main ingredient in Tylenol is acetaminophen, which has been used in the United States for more than 70 years. It’s considered a benign over-the-counter medication, used reflexively for aches, pains, and fever, and is widely thought of as safe for pregnancy. About 23 percent of American adults (about 52 million people) use a medicine containing acetaminophen each week. It’s the most common drug ingredient in the United States, found in more than 600 medicines, but this “harmless drug” is linked to over 110,000 injuries and deaths per year.1

How can Tylenol, which is doled out like candy, be bad for you? Amazingly, no one really knows how acetaminophen works,2 but people do know that this drug gets to your brain. Tylenol in your brain is concerning because it depletes glutathione, an antioxidant that is especially necessary for brain health.3 Our bodies depend on antioxidants to balance oxidative damage and inflammation.

NSAIDs injure the small intestine; in one study, 71 percent of NSAID users showed small intestinal damage, compared to 10 percent of nonusers.4 Damaged intestines can lead to intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut” or gut permeability, which is linked to depression, ADHD, and allergies. NSAIDs can induce leaky gut and harm your microbiome, the inner ecology of organisms you rely on for wellness.5

1. T. Christian Miller and Jeff Gerth, “Behind the Numbers: We Explore the Data Behind Figures Showing How Many People Die from Overdosing on Acetaminophen, the Active Ingredient in Tylenol,” ProPublica, September 20, 2013. www.propublica.org/article/tylenol-mcneil-fda-behind-the-numbers.)

2. Carmen Drahl, “How Does Acetaminophen Work? Researchers Still Aren’t Sure,” Chemical and Engineering News 92, Issue 29 (July 21, 2014): 31–32. https://cen.acs.org/articles/92/i29/Does-Acetaminophen-Work-Researchers-Still.html.

3. John T. Slattery et al., “Dose-Dependent Pharmacokinetics of Acetaminophen: Evidence of Glutathione Depletion in Humans,” Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 41, no. 4 (April 1987): 413–18. doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.50.)

4. D. Y. Graham et al., “Visible Small-Intestinal Mucosal Injury in Chronic NSAID Users,” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 3, no. 1 (January 2005): 55–59. PMID: 15645405.

5. G. Sigthorsson et al., “Intestinal Permeability and Inflammation in Patients on NSAIDs,” Gut 43, no. 4 (October 1998): 506–11. PMID: 9824578.

Now that you know the dangers of Tylenol and other NSAIDs, you’ll want to know what to take for headaches and other aches and pains. Turmeric, the yellow root found in curry powder that contains a powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever called curcumin. This has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as a treatment for pain, digestive disorders, and wound healing for centuries. Many studies show the beneficial effects of curcumin: curcumin works as well as ibuprofen to alleviate pain from knee osteoarthritis1 and PMS.2

Next time you have a headache, reach for 1 to 2 grams of curcumin—or even tastier, a turmeric latte.

1. V. Kuptniratsaikul et al., “Efficacy and Safety of Curcuma domestica Extracts in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 15, no. 8 (August 2009): 891–97. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0186.

2. G. Ozgoli et al., “Comparison of Effects of Ginger, Mefenamic Acid, and Ibuprofen on Pain in Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 15, no. 2 (February 2009): 129–32. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0311.