What Are Over-the-Counter Drugs Doing to Your Brain?By Catherine J. Frompovich Theres a classification of drugs called anticholinergics, which included numerous OTC products such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and even bladder control drugs. Anticholinergics include bronchodilators. They also affect senior citizens, which may not be a well-known side effect: In fact, even small increases in so-called anticholinergic burden or load increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in older individuals. [1] Anticholinergics use needs to be taken seriouslynot just popped into the mouth without realizing negative health consequencesas they block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine action in the brain [2]! They are used often by patients with asthma, gastrointestinal cramps, incontinence, muscular spasms, depression and sleep disorders. The questions consumers need to be asking themselves are, Why am I depending upon something that is interfering with my brain? Can those OTC drugs be contributing to my memory problemseven dementia? Are there other remedies that will provide relief but not interfere with my brains neurotransmitters? Why should consumers reconsider OTC drugs; arent they safe? Even though they are approved for OTC sale, here are some of the potential side effects from anticholinergic drugs: Potential Adverse Consequences of Medications with Anticholinergic Properties [3] Coincidentally and unknowingly, consumers may be taking an OTC drug that automatically is raising their blood pressure, all while your MD keeps adding more prescription drugs to lower it! Ever think of that? That would be something to bring to your MDs attention or even make a special appointment to discuss: the fact that you are taking OTC drugs that could be impacting an Rx drug you are taking and really may not need. There are non-pharmaceutical or natural remedies that deal with most physiological health issues that one would take anticholinergics OTC drugs for. Heres a list of some. According to a paper published in Urology [4] Herbal treatments are an increasingly popular alternative for treating OAB [Overactive bladder]. A 2002 survey of US adults aged 18 years conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that 74.6% of those with OAB had used some form of complementary and alternative medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the worlds population presently uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. Probably thats why Big Pharma is getting into vaccines so heavily, i.e., to mandate consumers in Western World countries take their pharmaceuticals by laws enforcing vaccines, since much of the world wants to stay with complementary, alternative or even shamanic healthcare. I wonder why! References: [1] http://prescribersletter.therapeuticresearch.com/pl/ArticleDD.aspx?nidchk=1cs=s=PRLpt=2segment=3860dd=271223AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Resources: Does anticholinergics drug burden relate to global neuro-disability outcome measures and length of hospital stays? Aging Brain Care Are your tablets destroying your brain? What to do about anticholinergics [an MS RNs blog] Where Can I Find a List of Anticholinergic Drugs? Image Credit Catherine J Frompovich (website) is a retired natural nutritionist who earned advanced degrees in Nutrition and Holistic Health Sciences, Certification in Orthomolecular Theory and Practice plus Paralegal Studies. Her work has been published in national and airline magazines since the early 1980s. Catherine authored numerous books on health issues along with co-authoring papers and monographs with physicians, nurses, and holistic healthcare professionals. She has been a consumer healthcare researcher 35 years and counting. Catherines latest book, published October 4, 2013, is Vaccination Voodoo, What YOU Dont Know About Vaccines, available on Amazon.com. Her 2012 book A Cancer Answer, Holistic BREAST Cancer Management, A Guide to Effective Non-Toxic Treatments, is available on Amazon.com and as a Kindle eBook. Two of Catherines more recent books on Amazon.com are Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA, A Probe Into Whats Probably Making Us Sick (2009) and Lord, How Can I Make It Through Grieving My Loss, An Inspirational Guide Through the Grieving Process (2008) 