What Are Over-The-Counter Drugs Doing To Your Brain?

Are you an OTC drug junkie? Frankly, most folks today are because they are dealing with some sort of ailment or even a chronic condition. Do you think because you can purchase OTC drugs in pharmacies that they don’t cause harm to your body? Well, maybe trusting healthcare consumers need to think twice before picking up another OTC pharmaceutical.

There’s 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 seriously—not just popped into the mouth without realizing negative health consequences—as 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 problems—even dementia?” “Are there other remedies that will provide relief but not interfere with my brain’s neurotransmitters?”