Liver damage is just one of the health effects facing participants of a new craze that's sweeping the social media.

And health professionals in the Bay have labelled the ‘paracetamol challenge' as extremely dangerous.

Taking large doses of paracetamol is dangerous.

The potentially lethal game is doing the rounds on social media in England and involves people swallowing as many tablets as possible.

Bay of Plenty District Health medical director Dr Hugh Lees says paracetamol causes serious liver damage when taken in overdose.

'You wouldn't necessarily know that was happening until sometime afterwards,” explains Hugh.

'There is usually a delay of days to weeks before that liver damage becomes apparent.

'Developing liver failure would manifest itself in the patient starting to feel tired and weak and then could progress to them becoming jaundiced.

'These are symptoms that are not always obvious to the individual or their family.”

Hugh adds that if someone takes an overdose, themselves, their peers or a responsible person who becomes aware of it should take them to the hospital or their GP immediately.