Drugs That Cause Memory Loss (& what you can do)

There are many kinds of prescription drugs and OTC medications that cause memory loss. See if any drugs you take are on our lists.

Anticholinergics: The “Anti” Drugs

If you take a drug that starts with “anti,” such as antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antibiotics, antispasmodics, or antihypertensives, it’s likely that it will affect your acetylcholine level.

Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of memory and learning.

When you’re low in acetylcholine, you become forgetful, can’t concentrate, or can’t think of the right word.

Acetylcholine deficiencies are associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and medications for these disorders work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. (6)

Drugs that block the action of acetylcholine are known as anticholinergics.

Anticholinergic Drugs and Seniors

The side effects of anticholinergic drugs are more pronounced in seniors due to the natural reduction of acetylcholine production associated with age.

Disturbingly, anticholinergic drugs are known to increase the risk of falls and all-cause mortality (i.e., death) in the elderly. (7)

The increased risk of dementia from anticholinergic drugs is significant — around 30%. (8)

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Anticholinergic Drug Lists

Rather than list all of the drugs known to be anticholinergic here, we’ve assembled a few reputable anticholinergic drug lists.

You can take a look at the list created by PeoplesPharmacy.com or download this PDF created by the Indiana University Center for Aging Research.

Notice that these lists rate drugs by level of anticholinergic activity — mild, moderate, or severe.

Dr. Leo Galland has published an extensive list of anticholinergic substances that includes drugs, herbal remedies, and even eye drops.

Dr. Kirk Parsley is a physician, former Navy SEAL, and a sleep expert for the US Navy.

He found a large number of Navy SEALS were using sleeping pills and made a startling discovery while studying EEGs of their brains. (10)

Brainwave patterns showed that, under the effect of sleeping pills, these men were as unconscious as if they were drunk or in a coma, but were not actually asleep.

According to Dr. Parsley, this means that these men were not experiencing the restorative sleep their brains needed to consolidate new memories and to maintain and repair itself. (11, 12, 13, 14)

In an interview on the investigative news program 20/20, Charlie Sheen pointedly called Ambien “the devil’s aspirin.” (15)

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

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 of statin cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipitor and Crestor.

When researchers examined the medical records of nearly a million people, they found that statin use increased the risk of memory loss four-fold. (16)

And it’s not just statins, other kinds of cholesterol-lowering drugs were also strongly linked to increased forgetfulness.

Here’s why lowering cholesterol is a problem for your brain.

One-quarter of your brain is composed of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is necessary for memory, learning, and fast thinking.

Cholesterol is needed to make neurotransmitters, chemicals that brain cells use to communicate with each other.

So it is not such a surprise that cholesterol-lowering drugs negatively affect the brain.

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You’ll probably be shocked to learn that high total cholesterol has actually been found to reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly. (17)

You read that right.

Statins have been pushed on the public because they are among the most profitable prescription drugs in the world. (18)

One in two senior men and one in three senior women are taking these drugs. (19)

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To learn more about what really does cause heart disease and what to do if you currently take statins, read The Connection Between Statins, Memory Loss & Dementia.

And if drug companies have their way, even more people will be put on statins in the future.

A large study found that seniors who take OTC medications like Benadryl are at significantly increased risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. (25)

Long-term use was not required.

Memory loss from these remedies was noticeable in as little as 60 days. (26)

This is bad news for the millions of people who rely on diphenhydramine — the generic name for Benadryl — to treat allergies, colds, and insomnia. (27)

Then we recommend following the advice of Armon B. Neel, Jr, PharmD, CGP, FASCP.

He is a geriatric pharmacist who has devoted his career to guiding health professionals and older adults in the appropriate use of medication.

He is the past author of AARP’s “Ask a Pharmacist” column and is the author of Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?

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Lastly, use the lifestyle advice you find here on our website.

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 sleep and physical exercise your brain needs, managing your stress, and taking the right brain supplements.

If you regularly take an OTC medicine for allergies, pain, insomnia or acid reflux, get serious about switching to natural remedies which can provide relief — without increasing your risk of dementia.

Give your brain the healthiest possible environment to stay mentally sharp in spite of your medications.