Paracetamol was found to have a positive effect on exercise performance and the body's ability to cope with the thermal challenge of exercise in the heat, says study.

To perform the research, a group of healthy, male participants ingested single doses of paracetamol or a placebo, before cycling at a fixed intensity for as long as they could in hot conditions. During the exercise, measures of core and skin temperature were recorded alongside the participants' perception of the heat.
As the study was performed in humans, with a common over-the counter drug, the implications are far reaching.
Dr Lex Mauger, who led the study at The University of Kent's School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, explains:
"Firstly, consideration by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and local anti-doping authorities should be made about the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in sport – on both health and performance grounds. Secondly, the utility of paracetamol as a first-response drug to exertional heat illness should be investigated."
The research gives a new insight into the effects of paracetamol on endurance exercise, and further studies hope to determine by which mechanisms this takes place.
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Source-Eurekalert