Think paracetamol is harmless? Many Kiwis are overdosing.

University of Auckland researchers, writing in the New Zealand Journal of Primary Health Care, report many people exceed safe doses because they assume the medicine is harmless.

Senior research fellow Dr Samantha Marsh says, “People think it’s safe, which it is, if you take it at the right dose,” warning that the liver can be damaged when limits are exceeded.

The study of almost two thousand people found one third commonly take more than two tablets at once and 11 percent exceed the daily limit.

Dr Samantha Marsh, UoA Senior Research Fellow Gen.Practice & Primary Healthcare.

Many struggle to spot paracetamol in cold and flu products like Lemsip or Coldral, raising the risk of accidental overdosing; Marsh supports clearer front-of-pack warnings such as “contains paracetamol”.

The recommended adult dose is one or two 500mg tablets every four to six hours, with at least four hours between doses and no more than eight tablets, or four grams, in 24 hours.

Children are a particular concern, with the National Poisons Centre receiving about 1000 calls a year for paracetamol poisonings, roughly half involving children who helped themselves; 60 to 65 percent of poison calls involve under-fives.

Marsh urges parents to record doses, especially overnight.

Locals might see pharmacists reinforce dose spacing and remind families to check labels before combining products.

For Hibiscus Coast households, the message is simple: follow the pack, track each dose, and ask your GP or pharmacist if unsure.

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