09/25/2025
Let's clear some things up.
I'm seeing memes today saying Tylenol was invented in the 1950's while autism was discovered in 1911.
Before I dig into this let me start by saying the entire reason I got into natural health is because I developed a health problem after receiving a Hepatitis A vaccine at the age of 21. I worked in the food industry and the vaccine was newly required for all food service workers. I was failed by the medical industry for many, many years (and still am), being told my problem was stress (I had zero stress) and that my problem was idiopathic, which simply means no one knows the reason. I was told I could just take medicine to control it...for the rest of my life. I did not like those answers. There's a lot more to the story, but considering it spans 20+ years and 3 kids. My story would be a novel. If anyone is wondering, the name of my condition is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and I still have it today and it still causes issues DAILY.
Now, back to the news from yesterday, about Tylenol being part of the problem causing autism and to address the memes going around. Yes, the name brand Tylenol did come out in the 1950's. But, before it was called Tylenol it was called Paracetamol. Paracetamol has been around since the late 1800's. Paracetamol and acetaminophen can be used interchangeably and Tylenol is the name brand. When reading medical research today you will often see the three terms used, sometimes in the same research paper, all meaning the same thing. To make it clear, "Tylenol," has been around since the late 1800's.
I do not like when health and politics mingle. One, because I do not like politics, but also because it causes some people to not listen, simply because they do not like the person who is delivering the message. By choosing to not listen you are doing yourself a disservice, your children a disservice, and your future generations a disservice.
That being said, do we believe Tylenol is the only issue and the only cause of autism? No. But, it's a start and I'm happy someone is taking the time to look into it. This topic is complicated and could also be a novel. Here are some bullet points:
* It's estimated that 30-40 percent of the population has MTHFR gene mutation, which causes issues with methylation in the body.
* Epigenetics shows our environment determines how our genes are expressed (how they function and how they impact our health)
* Folic acid is toxic to people with MTHFR. It builds in the body over time and blocks pathways. Folic acid is found in all enriched foods like bread, pasta, cereal, rice, and more. It is also recommended by doctors for pregnant women to supplement with folic acid. THIS IS WRONG. WE NEED FOLATE, NOT FOLIC ACID. It is nearly impossible to avoid folic acid in the USA.
* Toxins such as heavy metals and pesticides cause a higher demand for methylation in the body. Remember, 30-40% of the population has trouble with methylation.
* The combination of MTHFR gene mutation, folic acid, and environmental toxins in our food, water, medicine, and vaccines, leads to less methylation, which leads to a build up of homocysteine, which leads to lower glutathione production.
* Glutathione is often called the body's master antioxidant and detoxifier. When our glutathione is low, we have a harder time detoxing.
* This is where Tylenol comes in the picture. Tylenol/acetaminophen/paracetamol lowers the body's glutathione, often in people who already have low glutathione. FYI- the lowering of glutathione is the reason Tylenol can damage the liver and can easily cause an overdose (toxicity).
* Doctors often recommend Tylenol as the pain reliever of choice for pregnant women (30-40% with MTHFR should never take Tylenol).
* Doctors often recommend Tylenol to be given to babies before or after their vaccinations (that contain toxins like metals). Now, due to this whole chain of events leading up to this point, the body can no longer detox the unwanted substances the way it should.
* When the body can't clear metals, pesticides, and other toxins, they accumulate in the brain and cause oxidative stress (proper levels of glutathione combat oxidative stress), mitochondrial damage, neuroinflammation, disrupted neurotransmission and over time, loss of neurons and impaired cognition or motor function.
* The most vulnerable to all of this are fetuses and young children with developing brains.
So, while you or someone you know passes around the meme trying to mock or make fun of the discovery that Tylenol plays a role in autism, please keep an open mind. It's one step forward in the right direction. As you can see, there's much more to the story. And I'm sure what I typed above is only one scenario.
If you are interested in reading actual medical research head over to PubMed and search. Your eyes will be opened. I found one study from 2023 that states, "Evidence that early exposure to APAP (acetaminophen, aka Tylenol) causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children has been mounting for over a decade."
There is one last issue with all I shared here. The majority of doctors have yet to recognize and understand all of this as being an issue. There is a blood test you can have to see if you have MTHFR gene mutation. Ask you doctor and he'll probably look at you like you have 3 heads. I know mine did. They are not taught about this is school and that is a major problem.
