UKC

I cant take nsaids and I know they have risk associated with them anyway so would be limited to Paracetamol.

I know its commonly used to reduce temperature during illness and there is some evidence that its good for reducing core temperature when exercising in hot conditions. What im wondering however is does it have any adverse effect when exercising in the cold?

Wondering if I were to take paracetamol before a cold water swim would this affect my core temperature at all? i.e would it prevent me from getting warm enough? 

In reply to The Potato:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11441208

It does lower body temperature in normothermic people but by any average 0.3C (range 0.1-0.6C).  I would guess that i the pain/injury/illness that you are taking the paracetamol for, is going to slow you down, which would presumably result in you getting colder quicker, so you need to weigh the two things against each other.

In reply to The Potato:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1403265/ 

Liver toxicity. Also prone to causing rebound headaches (you stop taking it, get a headache, take some, headache gets better, stop taking it.... etc etc.)

Fairly safe at recommended dose and when not used on a daily basis. 

Doesn't exactly answer your question but you don't say why you are taking it. 

In reply to The Potato:

some evidence now that Paracetamol does not decrease body temperature .....

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003676/epdf/sta...

Other refs available.  

In reply to The Potato:

As I understand it, your temperature is raised during fever because of a protein called pyrogen, which starts a cascade that causes the hypothalamus to increase the body's temperature.  Paracetamol inhibits the pyrogen so that it doesn't cause the increase.  I think it doesn't normally reduce your body temperature outside of fever, or maybe a similar mechanism during hot weather, as you say in your post (but I've never heard this so I can't say).  

As pneame said, liver toxicity and CPDH (chronic persistent daily headache).  Just don't overdose and you'll be fine.  

In reply to The Potato:

Are you taking it for pain relief from temporary condition? For pain relief from a chronic one? Or for some misplaced idea that it I'll be performance enhancing for your swim?

Different answers.

Thank you all for very varied responses, no wonder I couldnt work it out myself.

Pyrogen, interesting, never heard of that one, might look in to it a bit more out of curiosity.

Its for an recent pain ive got in my throat, doesnt seem to be going away and Ive got a triathlon at the weekend. Waiting to see ENT doc about it but in the meantime.... the show must go on.

In reply to Lornajkelly:

And this can be easier said than done - I was given a prescription for percocet recently and thought "ah yes, opioids, better be careful with those". On looking at the fine print, I saw that it included acetaminophen (aka paracetamol). As do quite a few other things.

Opioids are the bees knees.....

In reply to The Potato:

Should you be doing a triathlon with a sore throat?

Edit: Experience has taught me that illness and exercise don't generally go together so well. 

In reply to The Potato:

There could be a connection? Training hard, limited recovery? Busy outside training? Rested heart rate higher than normal?

You might not need drugs, but a couple of days rest. 

In reply to The Potato:

Have you tried Ibuprofen for your throat? If the pain is caused by inflammation Ibuprofen may be better. It's designed to be an anti-inflammatory.  Paracetamol isn't anti-inflammatory. It is an analgesic and controls pain by a different mechanism. 

In reply to summo: Thanks for saying what I was thinking, but which got scrambled between my brain and my fingers.

In reply to pneame:

Cocodamol high strength has helped with pain but never noticed an effect when diving in cold water 

in reply to all -

Should you be doing a triathlon with a sore throat?

depends if its an infection or not, I dont think it is....

You might not need drugs, but a couple of days rest. 

already had two weeks off sadly.....

Have you tried Ibuprofen for your throat? 

please re read my post - no nsaids

Cocodamol high strength has helped with pain but never noticed an effect when diving in cold water

Thats reassuring to know thanks 

In reply to The Potato:

I presume you've or ideally a doctor have ruled out stomach related issues like acid reflux etc. 

In reply to pneame:

Did you know they kill 130 people a day in the USA?

In reply to Removed User:

Indeed - but they are really effective for knocking out pain! Slightly worse than the gun and vehicular death rates per day (~100 a day off the top of my head for each).