Common over-the-counter painkillers ‘quietly fuelling’ terrifying condition, study reveals – thousands of deaths every year
Taking common painkillers together could be fueling antibiotic resistance, amid concerns over deaths, experts warned today.
Ibuprofen and paracetamol—known as acetaminophen and often sold under the brand name Tylenol in the US—are widely used to treat aches and pains and reduce fevers.
But Australian scientists, who analysed how different painkillers interact with a common bacteria, found that the two drugs could amplify antibiotic resistance when taken together.
In the first-of-its-kind study, they discovered that using ibuprofen and paracetamol alongside the antibiotic ciprofloxacin to treat E. coli led to significantly increased bacterial mutations.
That made the E. coli highly resistant to the antibiotic.
Experts today warned that people should think twice before using multiple medications at once, but cautioned against stopping using the two drugs completely.
It comes as latest figures show the number of antibiotic resistant infections and people dying of infections resistant to antibiotics increased last year—surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, 66,730 people in England had an antibiotic-resistant infection in 2023.
Ibuprofen and paracetamol—known as acetaminophen and often sold under the brand name Tylenol in the US—are widely used to treat aches and pains and reduce fevers
Professor Rietie Venter, expert in microbiology at the University of South Australia and study lead author, said: ‘Antibiotic resistance isn’t just about antibiotics anymore.
‘This study is a clear reminder that we need to carefully consider the risks of using multiple medications—particularly in aged care where residents are often prescribed a mix of long-term treatments.
‘This doesn’t mean we should stop using these medications.
‘But we do need to be more mindful about how they interact with antibiotics and that includes looking beyond just two-drug combinations.’
In the study, published in the journal Antimicrobials and Resistance, the scientists looked at the effects of nine types of medications commonly used in care homes alongside E. Coli drug ciprofloxacin.
Professor Venter said: ‘When bacteria were exposed to ciprofloxacin alongside ibuprofen and acetaminophen, they developed more genetic mutations than with the antibiotic alone, helping them grow faster and become highly resistant.
‘Worryingly, the bacteria were not only resistant to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, but increased resistance was also observed to multiple other antibiotics from different classes.
‘We also uncovered the genetic mechanisms behind this resistance, with ibuprofen and paracetamol both activating the bacteria’s defences to expel antibiotics and render them less effective.’
Symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli include severe diarrhoea and vomiting, according to the UK Health Security Agency
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for 1.27million global deaths in 2019, and contributed to 4.95million deaths.
Researchers expect this trend to continue in the coming decades, with antimicrobial resistance deaths among people over the age of 70 to more than double.
Scientists are particularly worried about Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) infections—a rare strain of the diarrhoea causing bug.
This can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that is becoming increasingly difficult to treat, leading to kidney failure, sepsis and eventually death.
