Chocolate and Paracetamol.

No, it's not a new recipe for pain relief, although thinking about it may have some merit.

Chocolate has been investigated for it's efficacy as a medicine, primarily as an anti-hypertensive, but also for it's possible use in many cardiometabolic disorders. This is especially good news, for those who desire chocolate almost, if not more than sex, as a number of women have told me (although that may be a reflection of my lack of personal attraction). Hey-Ho. But yes, there is at least some statistically significant evidence that even the obese can benefit. It is important that it is dark chocolate and in my interpretation, that with the highest cocoa mass would be the one to go for, although above 85%, it does tend to be somewhat bitter, although as cocoa mass increases, sugar decreases. Always remember as sucrose intake increases, so does plasma glucose and insulin.

85% cocoa mass chocolate yields (per 100grammes);-
Protein - 9.70 g
Carbohydrates - 17.00 g
(of which sugar is 5.80 g)
Fat - 51.40 g
(of which monounsaturates is 17.90 g)

Putting aside the sugar content, for the non-diabetic that is quite small and provided consumption is kept to 25 or 50 grammes per day is unlikely to yield much harm whilst at the same time providing a healthy fat intake and of course the flavanoids that produce the improved endothelial function. The study published in the BMJ seems quite convincing although as a meta-analysis and largely observational study, it does have confounding factors and the cohorts had little heterogeneity. Nonetheless for the relatively healthy it's a somewhat better 'medicine' than most of the drugs peddled by 'Pharma' and I have myself, despite my indifference to chocolate (what you say!) started to consume 25 g per day, some time ago.

In the responses there are some detractors, mainly those who are frightened of 'fat' despite the fact that high cocoa mass fats largely comprise monounsaturates with a small polyunsaturates content which the 'mainstream' generally view as healthy. I'd prefer mine with lard to be honest, but I'll leave that for frying my egg yolks and bacon, oh and my 97% meat content, organic sausages. I'll eat my chocolate with a glass of good red wine instead.

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) was in the news recently although if you blinked you may have missed it. This is largely because even in doses that are often prescribed by Doctors in Hospitals (yes really) they can be somewhat dangerous. It does have a cumulative effect especially if taken at maximum dosage for a number of days and in some cases for weeks. The effect on the liver is quite toxic and can often be fatal, especially in those with reduced function in that organ, such as those with even mild alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even mild overdose due to timing of intake can be hazardous, and the study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology warned that prolonged usage presented more problems in treatment, and risk of death than did single overdoses. It is easy to forget that no more than 4 doses (of 2x500mg) in 24 hours should be taken, when those doses are taken at 4 hour intervals.

The data is not exactly new and the phenomena well known for some time,  but most was for single excessive doses, a number of which were intentional, although I could think of better ways to end it all than the multi organ failure that often is the outcome. The important lesson, which was not very well reported, is that this is an easy trap in which to fall into. You do not have to be much outside the 'normal' dose parameters to cause fatal consequences, and that is for healthy people. The elderly, children, and underweight and malnourished recipients are particularly vulnerable and it is so easy for people to view this over the counter analgesic, as eminently benign. It isn't, it is potentially fatal at quite low levels. The antidote, N-acetylcysteine, (NAC) another OTC supplement used in some cough medicines, has to be administered pretty rapidly to save lives, although for this problem intravenously by rapid infusion. The window for saving lives is tight, generally eight hours.

Personally, I never take paracetamol, well not any more, as I have known of its dangers for many years. If I'm in any serious pain, which is usually due to arthritis, I use a topical NSAID, such as Ibuprofen gel and even then rarely. The lesson is plain. Over the counter paracetamol and its combination forms (aspirin, ibuprofen and codeine) can be lethal, just as lethal as some potent drugs.