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Asthma is said to have been caused by a number of factors that include exposure to allergens, genetic factors, air pollution, passive smoking, and stress among others. But, if we go by some recent studies conducted by a medical research institute in New Zealand, the risk of a person getting asthma increases manifold if that particular individual had taken paracetamol painkiller as a kid. The conclusion was arrived at after analyzing the data of studies conducted on more than 200,000 children spanning 31 countries. The topic of the study was the risk factor present in asthma, eczema, and hay fever. It was found that if a child is given paracetamol to treat fever in the first year of life, he/she runs a 46% risk of developing asthma by the age of 6 or 7.
The scientific explanation offered for this is that the ‘glutathione’ present in the lungs defends the airways from pollution and smoke. The action of paracetamol reduces this level of glutathione and makes the delicate airways of the lungs vulnerable to allergic attacks.
It is not an overnight proposition that paracetamol intake in your childhood influences your chances of getting asthma. In fact, this allegation has been there for the last ten years and many studies have linked these two as a remote cause-and-effect proposition. However, the sheer volume of the sample survey looks convincing enough for the people to come to a conclusion. If this is found to be true, it could lead to a remarkable discovery in the field of chronic respiratory distress, since the usage of paracetamol is quite high in all age groups.
Alternatively, one could also look for other ways to reduce fever in children without resorting to allopathic medication. One good way to bring the temperature down is by sponging the child’s body with lukewarm water. In fact, there is a famous quote by French playwright Moliere. It runs like this: “Most men die of their remedies, not of their illnesses”. We, as a race so dependant on medication and complaining of side effects would do better by following the saying!
