I’d never fault anyone for doing everything they thought necessary to ward off dementia. If you’ve ever watched a loved one struggle with this debilitating condition, you know what a heartbreak it can be.
But, if like me, you believe that the first rule of medicine should still be, “Do no harm,” then you should be very concerned about a big push to use dangerous prescription beta blockers to prevent dementia.
A new study released by the American Academy of Neurology looked at nearly 800 Japanese-American men over the course of 21 years and found that the men in the study who had taken beta blockers for high blood pressure had fewer brain abnormalities linked to dementia.
And then, suddenly before you could even say “Big Pharma” five times fast a new movement to promote beta blockers for dementia prevention was born.
After all, who could argue with such random “success,” right? Well, let me take a crack at it…
First, I’m always extremely suspicious of studies where some people eventually wind up on medication and others don’t, but then sweeping conclusions are drawn from the data. There can be too many other factors at play — maybe more members of the treated group have access to health care than the untreated group, maybe they ate different diets, maybe some were smokers and others weren’t. You get the idea.
Second, expanding the use of beta blockers is a downright frightening idea. As we’ve told you before, repeated exposure to beta blockers is kind of like juggling hand grenades — it’s not very smart, and there’s a good chance it won’t end well.
The list of side effects for beta blockers is long and unpleasant — they include dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, depression and shortness of breath, to name just a few.
If you think that’s a fair price to pay for preventing dementia, allow me to make you a better offer. How does safe, natural dementia protection without the side effects sound?
There are plenty of natural solutions that have been found to keep your brain razor sharp as you age. One of those is lithium, which has been proven to help keep brain cells operating at peak performance — plus it reduces the risks for both Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Vitamin D, another of Dr. Wright’s favorites, has been shown to be a brain booster.
Research has found a strong link between niacin deficiency and dementia, so make sure you’re eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, chicken, and fish.
Big Pharma would prefer you believe that beta blockers are your best and only resort for preventing dementia. But you know now that you have other, safer options. Give them a try, and you could keep a nimble noggin well into your Golden Years.
Yours in good health,
Bob Reagan
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