Before you take Tylenol, read this

Acetaminophen-containing painkillers like Tylenol are really tough on your liver.

That’s not even taking into account the tens of thousands of visits to the emergency room they cause, and the thousands of calls to poison control.

That’s why it’s important to use care when taking acetaminophen — the active ingredient in over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol.

If you feel you have no choice, here’s something that could save your life — or at least your liver.

Turmeric and Tylenol

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, may help shield the liver from some of the damage that acetaminophen-containing painkillers can cause.

In an animal study, they determined that acetaminophen killed and damaged fewer cells in the liver when curcumin was consumed prior to taking the painkiller.

“These results indicate that the protective effect of curcumin in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity is associated with attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction,” the authors write, which is a fancy way of saying not only does curcumin protect liver cells, it has a bonus effect of giving them more energy.

You can include curcumin in your diet either by either cooking with turmeric root or taking a curcumin extract as a supplement.

A relative of ginger, turmeric has long been a staple in Indian cuisine. It’s very aromatic, and has an interesting flavor that lends itself to exotic dishes around the world.

A dash of turmeric is particularly tasty with eggs, cooked vegetables like cauliflower and root vegetables, rice, greens like kale and cabbage or vegetable and chicken soups. But don’t stop there. Try adding a little turmeric to any of your favorite dishes. You can find ground turmeric root at health food stores, and Asian specialty stores.

A more direct route to the liver would be to take curcumin as a supplement. There are many of these, but most won’t reach your system unless these is an enteric coating, or it includes piperine (the alkaloid which gives black pepper its pungent taste). The substance makes it vastly easier for your body to absorb curcumin. As a daily supplement, take 400mg to 600mg doses up to three times daily.