New research published in the medical journal Respirology claims that the popular drug neither reduces fever or aches and pains.
When you feel yourself coming down with the sniffles, the first thing you’ll likely do is reach for the medicine cabinet and take a couple of paracetamol tablets to relieve the symptoms.
But contrary to NHS advice, a new study suggests that the popular drug neither reduces fever nor other symptoms like aches and pains.
The Medical Research Institute of New Zealand recently carried out a study in which 40 flu sufferers were given paracetamol for five days and 40 were given placebo pills.
The study, published in the medical journal Respirology, found that paracetamol had no effect on the sufferer's condition.
The study concluded: "Despite recommendations to administer paracetamol for symptom relief in influenza and influenza-like illnesses, this study has found that regular administration of paracetamol has no effect on viral or clinical outcomes in this setting."
The researchers say their concerns were prompted by studies in animals exposed to flu, which showed that those given paracetamol and other fever-controlling drugs were more likely to die from the virus.
Dr Irene Braithwaite, of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, said: "We initially theorised that taking paracetamol might be harmful, as the influenza virus cannot replicate as well at higher temperatures and by reducing a person’s temperature the virus may have thrived.
"Fortunately this was found not to be the case."
However, the authors admitted their work may have been affected by the fact that all patients were given the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, as part of safety protocols in the study, which may have clouded the results, the Daily Mail reported.
The NHS Choices website says in its section on treating flu: “If you feel unwell and have a fever, you can take paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen to lower your temperature and relieve aches.“
Of the study, the NHS commented: "The trial specifically looked at whether paracetamol had any effect on the amount of flu virus in the body (viral load). But it should be stressed this is something paracetamol is not designed to do. Paracetamol is designed to relieve symptoms, not cure any underlying infection.
"The trial provides a route for further research, but with so many other studies reporting the opposite, it is too early to be changing recommendations."
