Bytager the publication "These sweets that burn the liver: when Doliprane calls for order"
There are experiences that shake things up more than a 10% cervix. Ours began simply, almost banally, with knee surgery. Arthroscopy of the right knee, for a loose patella fragment, followed by the usual surgical protocol: painkillers, anti-inflammatories, gastric protectors. Nothing extraordinary. Just routine medical care. And yet, two weeks later, this routine had our livers reeling.
Text: Jeff Tatard – Photos: 3bikes.fr
When chemistry goes wrong
The prescribed treatment consisting of Doliprane (paracetamol), Celecoxib and Omeprazole seemed harmless.
But the post-operative blood test on day 5, planned to check the platelets, revealed a major alert:
• ASAT (TGO): 138 U/L (N < 35)
• ALT (TGP): 56 U/L (N < 45)
• GGT: 15 U/L (N < 55)
• FIB-4: 4,92 (above 2,67, specialized liver monitoring is recommended)
A suffering liver, an inconsistent biological profile, and the stupor of a biologist who bluntly mentions words we don't want to hear: cirrhosis, severe liver disease, acute drug toxicity.
The paradox was striking: soaring transaminases, without an increase in GGT, a typical picture of direct drug-induced toxic effects, as sometimes produced by paracetamol when it saturates the detoxification pathways.
Back to basics
We stopped everything. No more medications, no more anti-inflammatories, no more artifice.
Instead: an alkaline diet, 80-90% fresh vegetables, plenty of hydration, sleep and really listening to your body.
We have also increased the number of natural physical treatments: local application of ice, pressotherapy sessions, and often both combined thanks to the system Game Ready, this recovery companion which combines cold and sequential compression.
These simple, regular, precise gestures have replaced chemical molecules.
And very quickly, the results were reversed.
Two weeks after the operation, the liver had returned to normal:
• ASAT: 52 U/L (against 138)
• ALAT: 69 U/L (against 56)
• GGT: 16 U/L (against 138)
• FIB-4: 1,25, now in the completely normal range, ruling out any risk of liver fibrosis.
The liver, in short, had resumed its natural respiration.
As if, freed from chemistry, the organism found its breath, its tempo and its sovereignty.
Nourish, hydrate, soothe
A plate of fresh vegetables. 600 ml of clear water in a glass bottle that you refill three or four times a day. Nothing fancy, except for the essentials: nourish, hydrate, and soothe.
The real treatment is the one that the body reconis born.
By resuming a final biological check, everything was back to normal.
Nothing miraculous, simply proof that an organism knows how to regenerate itself – provided it is given the chance.
Athletes and the temptation of the miracle pill
In the world of cycling, trail running or triathlon, we too often come across painkillers on the starting lines.
According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2020), nearly one in two ultra-distance runners takes a painkiller during the event.
At the Frankfurt Ironman, 60% of athletes took ibuprofen or paracetamol before or during the race (PMID: 28377423).
The reasons? To prevent pain, to hold on, to “keep the clock ticking.”
But the liver does not read the results sheets.
And paracetamol remains the leading cause of acute liver failure in Western countries (Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2022).
Putting science back in its rightful place
We obviously do not question the role of the medical profession, nor the relevance of the treatment prescribed to us.
These medications have been studied, validated, and used for good reasons: to relieve, prevent inflammation, protect the stomach, promote recovery.
Their effectiveness is not in question, and their prescription, in this specific context, was part of a perfectly legitimate protocol.
But what this experience has taught us, at 3bikes.fr, is that even justified use can become harmful when the body reacts unpredictably, or when treatment is continued beyond what is necessary.
The aim of this article is therefore not to blame, but to remind people of the framework: these powerful molecules have their place — under medical supervision, for a fixed period, and in cases where their benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
The real danger is self-medication. Trivialization.
The reflex of the easy pill, swallowed like candy.
And it is against this, more than against the drug itself, that we wish to warn.
Pain, this signal that we must relearn to listen to
We get it: pain is not the enemy.
She speaks an ancient language, which we have forgotten.
By silencing it, we exhaust the body's sentinels: the liver, the kidneys, the nervous system.
Our experience is not a tragedy, but rather a reminder.
A shot of clarity for us, passionate athletes, too inclined to believe that a pill can ward off fatigue or wear and tear.
3bikes.fr on alert
We do not want to accuse, but to warn.
We want to remind you that performance only makes sense if it is part of respect for the body.
An over-the-counter medicine is not candy.
A liver is not a consumable.
And when the biological alarm sounds, it's time to stop.
Because between a repaired knee and a damaged liver, there is no choice.
" At the house of 3bikes, we choose clarity, moderation, and awareness. And if this testimony can prevent even one more injured liver, then it will have found its meaning.
