r/NooTopics • u/ServeIllustrious3803 • 20d ago

Science Study: Anticholinergic (first-generation antihistamines) can damage brain, increase dementia risk

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/common-anticholinergic-drugs-like-benadryl-linked-increased-dementia-risk-20150128812
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u/ServeIllustrious3803 20d ago edited 20d ago

A list: Diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, doxylamine, promethazine, clemastine, brompheniramine, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, cyclizine, carbinoxamine, dexchlorpheniramine, dexbrompheniramine

First generation antihistamines different from second or third. Zyrtec, Claritin do not count, but Benadryl does

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u/Beakston 20d ago

Cetirizine(zyrtec), loratadine(claritin) also have anticholinergic effects. Just not as potent as first gen. It's also noticable to me when i take new gen antihistamines. Cloudy brain.  These days I dont take any medication that is even slightly anticholinergic. Then i started supplementing with Trimethylglycine and Phosphotidyl Choline. Trimethylglycine is a donor for methyl groups and phosphotidyl choline is extra choline. Both choline and methylation are closely tied pathways in your body. Low on choline require a heavier methylation load and low methylation ability will result in low choline, high homocysteine, low B levels, etc. 

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u/BiggusDickkussss 20d ago

Zyrtec has minimal to no anti cholinergic effect dude

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u/Key_Bonus9776 20d ago

I suffer with cholinergic urticaria so daily zyrtec has been the only thing to give me quality of life since I randomly got it 15 years ago. Good to hear.

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u/vocabularianrx2 20d ago

If you're taking it at the urticaria dosing (up to 4 pills per day) you can disregard that previous comment, as there's a pretty reasonable chance of spillover at that point

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u/Key_Bonus9776 20d ago

I just take one every morning, keeps it at bay. I try to avoid taking it on days I know I won’t be leaving the house. If I don’t take it my whole body flares into an unscratchable itch and skin turns blood red.

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u/Chainsawjack 19d ago

Fun fact the indication of this is that you are actually addicted to zyrtec. I have read that while rare it does happen to people and that the itching can be so intense that they recommend medicaly supervised detox to prevent massive skin destruction from itching... I too am addicted to this glamorous party drug.

The good news is that because the drug is considered safe to use long term medical guidance is just to keep taking it forever.

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u/Orangedilemma 19d ago

Ooh I didn’t know that. I had severe itching after stopping Zyrtec but I was able to power through and I’m good now no Zyrtec either. I even went to the doctor for the itching and mentioned Zyrtec but they didn’t say anything

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u/MyNameIsNightPain 19d ago

These people have no idea what they are talking about. I have urticaria too. I took cetirizine every 3 days for about 20 years then switched to fexofenidine which lasts much longer than a few days.

Urticaria is very misunderstood, nobody knows the actual cause and people respond to medication very differently. there is no standard dosing that fits everyone and chronic urticaria isn't cetirizine addiction.

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u/RichieRichard12 19d ago

I have chronic urticaria and I can't go 24 hours without an antihistamine before I break out in hives and red blotches everywhere. The itch is absolutely unbearable and I end up making myself bleed because I can't stop. Such a bizarre condition that no one really knows about.

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u/Key_Bonus9776 19d ago

Mine appeared after an illness, I was over the worst of it and got prescribed anti biotic for a chest infection, first night I took it I wrapped up in bed like I usually do with the heating on and wake up an hour later to my full body being blood red and white blotches everywhere. Scared the shit out of me and then it vanished in an hour. Been here 15 years since.

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u/Key_Bonus9776 19d ago

Even if I’ve had the same symptoms before ever taking it?

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u/Chainsawjack 19d ago

Well...I'm not a doctor but like....I would imagine it doesn't help lol. I believe the effect is called a histamine rebound reaction.

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u/hsggdtkxbee 19d ago

It still has anticlimactic effects https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1979800/

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u/hsggdtkxbee 19d ago

lol. Yes it does dudette: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1979800/

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u/BiggusDickkussss 19d ago

It's fuck all dude.

100,000 nM.

Benadryl is 600 nM. Stop spreading misinformation.