Pill - How much Tylenol can an adult take?
As a pharmacist, we get asked this question a lot. A quote from www.pharmacistsletter.com
states:
How Much Acetaminophen Is Too Much?
Usually, adults can take one to two 325 mg tablets, every four to six hours as needed. You should not take
more than FOUR GRAMS (4000 mg) of acetaminophen in a 24-hour period. This is equal to about twelve
of the 325 mg tablets, or eight of the extra-strength (500 mg) tablets.
If you have three or more alcoholic drinks a day, ask your healthcare professional whether you should take
acetaminophen or other pain reliever/fever reducers. They will be able to tell you whether or not it’s a good
idea to take acetaminophen, and how much you can safely take.
What About Children?
Children are at special risk of getting too much acetaminophen. The dose for children changes as they grow
older. Check the labels on your child’s medications to see which ones contain acetaminophen. Check with
your pharmacist or other healthcare professional before combining medications and ask what dose is
appropriate for your child. You can also check to see if it’s practical for you to use one acetaminophen
product for all the children in your family. If your children are very different in age, this may not be an
option. In this case be very careful not to confuse which cup, spoon, or dropper goes with which product.
Some products are more concentrated than others, which means you need a smaller amount for a dose.
Lastly, never give young children adult-strength acetaminophen.
[April 2009]
states:
How Much Acetaminophen Is Too Much?
Usually, adults can take one to two 325 mg tablets, every four to six hours as needed. You should not take
more than FOUR GRAMS (4000 mg) of acetaminophen in a 24-hour period. This is equal to about twelve
of the 325 mg tablets, or eight of the extra-strength (500 mg) tablets.
If you have three or more alcoholic drinks a day, ask your healthcare professional whether you should take
acetaminophen or other pain reliever/fever reducers. They will be able to tell you whether or not it’s a good
idea to take acetaminophen, and how much you can safely take.
What About Children?
Children are at special risk of getting too much acetaminophen. The dose for children changes as they grow
older. Check the labels on your child’s medications to see which ones contain acetaminophen. Check with
your pharmacist or other healthcare professional before combining medications and ask what dose is
appropriate for your child. You can also check to see if it’s practical for you to use one acetaminophen
product for all the children in your family. If your children are very different in age, this may not be an
option. In this case be very careful not to confuse which cup, spoon, or dropper goes with which product.
Some products are more concentrated than others, which means you need a smaller amount for a dose.
Lastly, never give young children adult-strength acetaminophen.
[April 2009]
