Once considered to be a natural part of aging, memory loss now appears to be related more so to lifestyle and environmental factors than time itself. In addition, certain medications used to treat other health conditions have been shown to have a significant
impact on memory and brain function. Understanding that diseases such as Alzheimer’s, presenile dementia and memory loss can be both primary conditions and a side effect of specific pharmaceutical drugs, makes looking at alternatives to these medications more important than ever. There are no known differences in efficacy of these alternatives when comparing sex or pre and post menopausal women.
Note: It is important to discuss any changes to your medication with your physician first. >>
1. NON-DROWSY ALTERNATIVES
Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety, mood disorders, insomnia, and seizures, and block the production of the brain’s main anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecule, melatonin. Melatonin protects neural tissue, as well as inhibiting the binding of chemical messengers to the hippocampus and amygdalae, which are areas in the brain involved in short term memory, focus and concentration. Lactium is a simple, lactose-free milk peptide that is an effective alternative to Benzodiazepines.
It lowers the production of stress hormones that cause anxiety, as well as conditioning the brain’s heightened neurohormonal response to stress and hyperactivity. In fact, Lactium has been clinically proven to be 10 times more potent than diazepam without the associated drowsiness associated with that class of medication. Reducing the production of stress hormones results in the synthesis of fewer inflammatory mediators that impair memory and allows chemical messengers involved in memory and focus to function maximally. Lower stress hormone levels also allow a healthier, more rejuvenating sleep, improving brain health.
2. USE PASSIFLORA, SKULLCAP AND MELATONIN AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SLEEPING PILLS.
Sedatives and hypnotics have similar effects to benzodiazepines in the brain with a more potent inhibition of melatonin production. There are five stages of sleep. One through four, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Stage four sleep is characterized by delta wave brain activity, and only during this phase does the body restore and rejuvenate itself. This can include everything from making a new antibody, to repairing an injured muscle. Melatonin is required to help the brain cycle into stage 4 sleep, and without sufficient melatonin production, the body will skip this stage and return to the less-useful stage one sleep. Melatonin is also the brain’s main antioxidant, protecting it from inflammatory damage that contributes to dysfunction and memory loss. Most sleeping pills inhibit the production of melatonin, and although they will help put you to sleep, they actually prevent the good healing phase of sleep, leaving you feeling tired, groggy and not fully rejuvenated. Natural sleep aids such as Passiflora (50 mg), Hops (500 mg) or Skullcap (200 mg) 30 minutes before bed, will bind into the GABA receptor helping to calm the brain and allowing you to fall asleep. Melatonin (3 to 10 mg) 30 to 60 minutes before bed, promotes stage four sleep. These natural alternatives allow a healthy sleep pattern but will not impair memory.
3. USE PLANT STEROLS INSTEAD OF CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING STATINS.
Cholesterol is abundant in the brain and is necessary for proper functioning, chemical messenger communication and anti-inflammatory processes. Statin drugs, used to lower cholesterol through the body and prevent arteriosclerosis, also lower neural cholesterol levels and have been shown to impair cognition, memory and focus. Statins also lower the synthesis of CoQ10, necessary for the production of ATP, the body’s energy unit, as well as for protecting cellular DNA.
Plant Sterols are naturally occurring compounds in vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds that compete with the absorption of dietary cholesterol and inhibit the reabsorption of endogenous cholesterol excreted into the GI tract. Taking 400 to 800 mg of Plant Sterols a day with 50 mg of Pomegranate extract (a powerful antioxidant) helps reduce lipid accumulation and is a safe and effective way of reducing cholesterol levels naturally without impairing memory or cognitive function.
4. USE 5-HTP INSTEAD OF TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS.
Tricyclic antidepressant drugs are used to treat depression, chronic pain, hot flashes and mood disorders. They work by inhibiting reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, increasing the synaptic concentration of these neurotransmitters. Patients using these medications report significant reduction in mental clarity and memory function. 5-Hyroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. 150 to 600 mg a day is clinically proven as an effective alternative treatment for conditions including depression without the side effects on cognition and memory. Slight stomach upset can occur for the first few days but can be minimized by taking the supplement with a small amount of carbohydrate such as crackers.
Unlike other supplements mentioned in this article, 5 HTP should not be combined with antidepressants unless supervised by a medical professional, as it can slightly decrease the efficacy of the pharmaceutical antidepressant. It is particularly important that individuals taking anti-depressant medication discuss any new supplements or medicines with their physician. They should not discontinue their use without appropriate medical supervision.
5. USE QUERCITIN AS AN ANTIHISTAMINE
Antihistamine medications are widely used and very effective at alleviating allergy symptoms. They work by blocking histamine receptors, preventing the histamine released during allergic episodes from causing symptoms such as itchy eyes and runny nose. However, they also cross the blood-brain barrier and block the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This chemical messenger is crucial for all forms of learning and heightens our responsiveness to stimuli, increasing our focus and attention. Besides causing symptoms such as a dry mouth, antihistamines can also adversely affect brain function.
Quercitin is a bioflavonoid extracted from the whites of citrus fruits and is a potent stabilizer of the mast cells that produce histamine. Taken over a one to two week period, 500 mg of quercitin twice a day desensitizes the mast cell to allergens and teaches the cell to stop producing abnormally high amounts of inflammatory chemicals. Combining quercitin with bromelain, a pineapple extract, increases the absorption and availability of the bioflavonoid.
WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO PROTECT OUR BRAINS?
Whether or not you are taking medication, there are a few simple measures everyone can take to help protect the brain and prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive decline.
1. REDUCING SUGARS AND WHITE REFINED CARBOHYDRATES IS A CRUCIAL STEP TO INCREASING BRAIN HEALTH:
These foods “caramelize” the coating around the brain, as well as collagen throughout the body. Adding in lean proteins such as fish, egg whites and whey protein powders provides the vital amino acids or building blocks for all brain chemical messengers or neurotransmitters and stabilizes blood sugar levels. It is important to use diet and exercise to maintain a healthy body weight as obesity increases Alzheimer’s risk by 60%.
2. TAKING 2000 TO 4000 MG OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS WITH EPA AND DHA
Not only does this decrease inflammation in the brain and central nervous system, but ensures adequate fats to form the outer coating of neurons, maintains function of all neural receptors and helps prevent the formation of abnormal plaques that contribute to several neurological conditions that impair memory.
3. TAKING 3 MG OF MELATONIN BEFORE BED:
Regardless of sleep patterns, this is the most powerful free radical scavenger and anti-inflammatory for the brain. It is also the most important nutrient in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s. One capsule a day of Lactium (Sereniten Plus*) reduces the excess production of the inflammatory and damaging stress hormones that impair all brain function.
4. JUST 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE 5 TIMES A WEEK
Exercise is a key lifestyle factor for brain health. It increases blood flow to the brain, reduces cortisol production, helps prevent obesity and stimulates growth hormone for repair. Lack of exercise increases Alzheimer’s and dementia risk by 82%.
5. MEDITATION
Increases delta wave brain activity (the calming and rejuvenating brain wave activity also seen in stage four sleep), inhibits cortisol production and improves blood flow. Just 15 to 30 minutes a day for eight weeks improves hippocampal activity (the key area of the brain that shrinks in dementia), short-term memory, focus, cognitive function, and neural connectivity and transmission.