Who needs feelings?

On top of treating pain, Tylenol and other over-the-counter medications containing acetaminophen may dull both positive and negative emotions.

In a study recently published in Psychological Science, half of 82 college students were given an acute dose of acetaminophen, while the others were given a placebo, according to CNN. The researchers tested their hypothesis by showing the students a series of pleasant or unpleasant images and asking them to rate how they made them feel. Those who took the placebo all rated the images more extremely than those who took the medication.

The researchers concluded that acetaminophen limits both joy and emotional pain, or the range of feelings experienced.

“This means that using Tylenol or similar products might have broader consequences than previously thought,” said Geoffrey Durso, the study’s lead author. “Rather than just being a pain reliever, acetaminophen can be seen as an all-purpose emotion reliever.”