Health authorities in several European countries have warned of the spread of what is known on social media as the “paracetamol challenge,” which is a dangerous behavior that encourages some teenagers to take large quantities of this common drug to see who can tolerate the largest dose.
The alleged challenge relies on publishing clips or posts on the Internet in which participants brag about taking excessive doses of paracetamol, a pain reliever and fever reducer that is one of the most widely used medications around the world.
However, searching for this challenge on the TikTok platform shows that most of the content related to it comes from doctors or health institutions warning of its dangers, and not from actual participants in it.
However, Epicora Hospital Center in Belgium confirmed that it treated three patients last February due to a paracetamol overdose after they participated in this online challenge.
On February 6, the Belgian Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products issued an official warning about the dangers of overdose, noting that taking paracetamol, even in high doses, does not cause any psychological or narcotic effects that might prompt some to try it.
In other European countries, health authorities have also reported a rise in poisoning cases linked to drug overdoses.
Pediatric specialist nurse Silvia Oliva from the Regional University Hospital in Malaga, Spain, called on parents to educate their children about the dangers of these behaviors, saying in a hospital post on social media: “Talk to your children and guide them in using technology, and pay attention to warning signs such as vomiting, abdominal pain, or extreme sleepiness.”
For her part, Director of the Finnish Medicines Agency, Pia Forila, stressed the need to educate young people about the risks associated with medications, calling on adults to discuss these risks with children and adolescents.
In Portugal, the Pharmacists Authority warned that such practices constitute a “serious health risk,” explaining that paracetamol toxicity may appear before clear symptoms appear.
The authority added that excessive doses may cause severe and irreversible damage to the liver, and may develop into acute liver failure requiring a liver transplant, and may even lead to death in extreme cases, and can sometimes cause kidney damage.
Safe dose of paracetamol
Health authorities recommend that the daily dose for adults should not exceed 4 grams, with the possibility of taking between 500 milligrams and 1 gram every 4 to 6 hours. As for children, the dose is determined according to weight, and usually amounts to about 60 milligrams per kilogram per day.
The first symptoms of paracetamol poisoning include nausea, vomiting, sweating, and fatigue, and often appear within the first 24 hours.
As liver damage progresses, abdominal pain and other serious complications may appear, so doctors stress the necessity of seeking medical help immediately upon suspicion of taking an overdose.
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used medications to relieve pain and reduce fever, and is generally considered safe when taken according to medical instructions and recommended doses.