It seems that no matter what you take, drink or eat these days, that eventually at some point down the road research will show that it was bad for you. Well, now it seems the spotlight is switching to anticholinergic drugs which are being linked to cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dementia.
If you are wondering what anticholinergic drugs are, as indeed I was then, unfortunately, there is a pretty good chance you have some of them in your medicine cupboard. Probably the most popular variety of these medicines is Benadryl which many people use as an anti-allergy drug, or even to get some sleep in the evening.
A study conducted by the Indiana University School Of Medicine has found some evidence that the use of these drugs either prescription or over the counter can increase your chances of getting dementia in later life. With advances in medical research, brain imaging techniques are now able to ascertain better any physical changes which might be connected to the taking of certain drugs. In a test involving 400 people aged over 73, those who were taking anticholinergic drugs fared significantly worse on memory tests and appeared to have lower levels of brain activity. So it would appear, that popping a Benadryl to get a good nights sleep, may not be such a great idea in the long term. Watch the video below for a full explanation.