TAKING ANY OF THESE KIND

OF DRUGS CAN CAUSE

MEMORY LOSS AND OTHER
BRAIN ISSUES
May 3, 2017

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Prescription drugs cause over 100,000 deaths every year and cause another
1.5 million people to experience side effects so severe that they must be
hospitalized.

Adverse drug reactions are now the fourth leading cause of death in the US.
Every medication carries some risks, and memory loss is a very common side
effect.
Studies show that pharmaceutical drugs can deplete your body of critical
nutrients through multiple mechanisms, including increased excretion of
nutrients, and impaired digestion, absorption and storage of nutrients.

Over time, nutritional deficiencies can develop. And these deficiencies can
cause additional symptoms and increase side effects. In fact, many drug side
effects are simply nutritional deficiencies.

This is clearly a problem because nutrient deficiencies can be one of the main
causes of mental illness. Being prescribed medication that further deplete
nutrients from your body will make you worse. Its an epidemic that seems to
be ignored by the conventional medical system.

3 KEY NUTRIENTS THAT CAN BE DEPLETED FROM USING

THESE DRUGS
Your doctor who prescribed you these medications is very likely not aware
of the consequences of using these drugs. So, it does you well to understand
how these nutrients can be depleted and the brain issues it can cause.
 1. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Coenzyme Q10 is a molecule found in every cell of your body and plays a key
role in the production of energy. It is also an antioxidant and protects your
body and brain from free radical damage.

Studies show that a number of psychiatric medications can deplete CoQ10.

Low levels of CoQ10 leads to brain fog, mental fatigue, difficulty
concentrating, memory lapses, depression and irritability. Other deficiency
symptoms include increased blood pressure, muscle cramps, high blood
sugar and shortness of breath.

2. Magnesium
Magnesium is an important mineral that is required for over 300 biochemical
reactions and functions in your body. This includes neurotransmitter (neurons
in your brain for transmitting messages), enzymes and hormonal activities, all
of which can have a huge impact on your mood and brain function.

Magnesium is essential for maintaining calm. A deficiency can cause anxiety,

depression and irritability. Yet, many people are deficient in this mineral due to
poor lifestyle and dietary choices. Other symptoms of a magnesium
deficiency:

Increased blood pressure

Muscle weakness, cramps, tremors, twitching and spasms
Headaches and migraines
Insomnia
Suicidal thoughts
Heart arrhythmias
Osteoporosis
Nausea
 And many more!
Interestingly, these symptoms are very similar to the list of side effects of
psychiatric conditions!

Inadequate magnesium levels can contribute and worsen any

neuropsychiatric problems. This includes depression, anxiety, insomnia,
seizures, ADHD, pain, schizophrenia, irritability, premenstrual syndrome, drug
abuse and short-term memory and IQ loss.

So if you or a loved one are taking any medication to deal with a mental health
condition, consider supplementing with magnesium instead. Eat plenty of
magnesium-rich foods that will help tremendously.

3. B Vitamins
These drugs have been found to lower a number of B Vitamins, including B2
(riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamins).

B2: Riboflavin plays a key role in energy metabolism throughout your entire
body. A deficiency can lead to low energy, weight gain and thyroid problems.

B6: Pyridoxine is a key nutrient that boosts mood, deepens sleep and
supports your nervous system. A deficiency of this vitamin include weakness,
mental confusion, depression, insomnia and severe PMS symptoms.

B9: Folate is a precursor needed to make, repair and methylate DNA,

especially important in aiding rapid cell division and growth, such as in infancy
and pregnancy. A deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects.

B12: Cobalamin is a coenzyme that is essential in the metabolism of every

cell in the human body. A deficiency can lead to anemia, elevated
homocysteine, peripheral neuropathy, memory loss and other cognitive
problems.

TOP DRUGS THAT CAUSE MEMORY LOSS AND BRAIN

ISSUES
If you are taking any prescription medication, the odds are that it falls into one
of these three categories of drugs known to cause memory loss and other
cognitive problems:

The Anti Drugs

If you take any drug that starts with anti such as antihistamines,
antidepressants, antipsychotics, antibiotics, antispasmodics, or
antihypertensives, its likely that it will affect your acetylcholine levels.

Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter involved with memory and

learning. Low acetycholine can lead to symptoms that resemble dementia
including mental confusion, delirium, blurred vision, memory loss, and
hallucinations.

Sleeping Pills
Prescription sleeping pills are notorious for causing memory loss. The popular
drug Ambien has been coined by some as the amnesia drug. Some users
experience night terrors, sleep walking, sleep driving, and hallucinations.
Prescription sleeping pills have been found to put you in a state similar to
being passed out, drunk or in a coma while bypassing the restorative sleep
your brain needs. There are many better ways to get to sleep.

Statin Drugs
These cholesterol-lowering medications might just be the single worst group
of drugs for your brain. Memory loss is now required to be listed as a side
effect on the label.
One quarter of your brain is made up of cholesterol. Cholesterol is necessary
for memory, learning, and fast thinking. So it is not a total surprise that
cholesterol-lowering drugs negatively affect the brain.
MORE MEDICATIONS KNOWN TO CAUSE MEMORY LOSS
Richard C. Mohs, Ph.D., former vice chairman of the Department of
Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine is compiled this list. As an
author and co-author of more than 300 scientific papers, Dr Mohs has
conducted numerous studies on aging, Alzheimers disease and cognitive
function.

Anticholinergic Drugs (scopolamine, atropine,

glycopyrrolate)
These drugs block acetylcholine and are used to treat movement disorders
(such as Parkinsons disease), irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, certain
types of urinary incontinence, and other problems. Scopolamine in particular
is a strong memory blocker.

Anti-Epilepsy Drugs (phenytoin/Dilantin)

Drugs that are used to treat brain problems such as epilepsy are considered
to be harmful to memory, as are derivatives of atropine, which typically induce
amnesia. In particular, large doses of Dilantin can interfere with memory,
reaction time, and thinking.

Opiates (heroin, morphine, codeine)

Natural opiates come from the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. Narcotics
are made from opium and are used legally as prescription painkillers. Many of
the opiates are quite capable of interfering with both short and long-term
memory and learning. Experts think these drugs interfere with memory by
affecting brain chemicals including acetylcholine and norepinephrine.

Psychoactive Drugs
 While many psychoactive medications interfere with memory, different drug
classes within this broad category may cause different types of memory
problem. In fact, the type and extent of memory loss may vary even among
the drugs within the same class.

For example, one type of antidepressant that interferes with certain brain
chemicals may improve memory, compared to another group of
antidepressants (such as the tricyclics) that interferes with memory. Some of
the psychoactive drugs that cause memory problems include:

benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Dalmane, many others)

neuroleptics (also known as antipsychotics: Haldol, Mellaril, etc.)
tricyclic antidepressants
lithium
barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital)

Chemotherapy
Mild memory loss may be a potential side effect of chemotherapy. How
significant a problem it is, which drugs cause it, how long it lasts, and what
you can do to combat it are questions scientists are trying to answer.

One Canadian study found that half of all women taking or finished with
chemotherapy showed mild problems with cognition and memory. The women
taking chemotherapy during the study had more significant memory problems
than those who had already finished chemotherapy.

Other Chemicals and Drugs

Many other drugs can cause memory problems, including:

quinidine
naproxen
steroids
antibiotics (quinolones)
antihistamines
 interferons
high blood pressure drugs
insulin
beta blockers (especially those used for glaucoma)
methyldopa
seasickness patches
carbon monoxide
carbon disulfide
lead
mercury
excessive amounts of manganese

What To Do If Youre On Any Of These Medications

If youre taking any of these medications mentioned above, we recommend
that you talk to your doctor if you believe its affecting your memory.

Get your doctor to work with you to find better optionsdifferent prescriptions
and/or making healthy lifestyle choices instead.

Even if you have to stay on your medication, you can lessen the load on your
brain by taking proactive steps such as eating a brain-healthy diet, getting the
physical exercise your brain needs, and taking the right brain supplements.
Give your brain the healthiest possible environment to stay mentally sharp in
spite of your medications.

Sources:
http://bebrainfit.com/20-medications-that-can-cause-memory-loss/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/memory-loss-drugs-_b_822245.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/19/are-the-otc-drugs-you-are-taking-a-hidden-
cause-of-memory-loss.aspx
http://statins.mercola.com/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/nervous-system/improving-memory8.htm