5 Risks of Taking Too Much Excedrin

If you're prone to headaches or debilitating migraines, you are probably familiar with pain relievers like Excedrin⁠ to ease the pain. While this over-the-counter medication is effective, taking it too often can be dangerous.

Excedrin contains three ingredients that work together: acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine, says Brian M. Grosberg, MD, director of the Headache Center at Hartford HealthCare's Ayer Neuroscience Institute in West Hartford, Connecticut. "Aspirin and acetaminophen both have pain-relieving properties, and caffeine is added to help them work more efficiently," Dr. Grosberg says.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Excedrin Migraine contains:

• Acetaminophen 250 milligrams (mg)
• Aspirin 250mg
• Caffeine 65mg

Here are five risks of taking too much of these drugs:

Excedrin Overdose Risk No. 1: Liver Damage

Over time, doses of acetaminophen that exceed the recommended dose can lead to liver damage, according to MedlinePlus. Acetaminophen is found in many over-the-counter and prescription products, often in combination with other drugs, to treat a laundry list of symptoms and conditions, including allergy, colds, and the flu. If you aren't aware of all the ingredients in the other medications you take, you can inadvertently end up taking too much acetaminophen at the expense of your liver.

Follow your doctor's instructions, read labels, and never take more than the amount recommended on the label. Taking too much acetaminophen can lead to liver damage, the FDA warns. At first, liver damage causes only vague symptoms, such as nausea and flu-like malaise, so it's easy to miss but can develop into liver failure or death.

Excedrin Overdose Risk No. 2: Kidney Damage

Aspirin can be dangerous to your kidneys in too-high doses, Grosberg says. According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), regular use of aspirin doesn't cause kidney disease in healthy people, but taking more than 325 mg per day may reduce kidney function. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor what pain medications are safest for you.

Your doctor can run simple blood tests, such as a serum creatinine test, to see how well your kidneys are functioning, NKF notes.

Excedrin Overdose Risk No. 3: Intestinal Bleeding

Aspirin is also a blood thinner, notes MedlinePlus, which is why some people take low-dose aspirin daily to reduce their risk for a heart attack. It prevents sticky platelets from clumping together in your blood and forming a clot that can block blood flow, causing a heart attack.

It’s important to discuss the risks and benefits of taking aspirin with your doctor, as it’s not recommended for everyone. In some cases, aspirin can damage the lining of the stomach and cause gastrointestinal bleeding, according to MedlinePlus.

Excedrin Overdose Risk No. 4: The Jitters

You know that jittery, nervous feeling you get when you've had too much coffee? Excedrin, which contains caffeine, can have the same effect, especially if you're eating or drinking foods that contain caffeine.

You also may have trouble falling asleep if you have too much caffeine, and sleep loss can be a migraine trigger, Grosberg says.

Excedrin Overdose Risk No. 5: Rebound Headache

When you overdo it on headache remedies for a prolonged period of time, you can develop medication-overuse or rebound headaches, Grosberg says. "Most people who use Excedrin take one or two tablets and then, if they need to re-dose later, they will take another one or two," he says. "The concern is not so much this type of redosing on an as-needed basis as it is using this type of medicine in a regular fashion for an extended period of time."

It's hard to say how much Excedrin is too much for any individual, but talking to your doctor and paying attention to ingredients, quantities, and dosing instructions can make sure you treat your headaches as safely as possible.