What is the cost of taking birth control and other common medications that they don’t share in the “warnings” section or fine print? They deplete the body of important nutrients. I discovered this because at 29 years old I was experiencing a notable decline in brain function that I wouldn’t expect until much much later in life. In my search for answers I stumbled upon Neurologist David Perlmutter’s book, The Better Brain Book. In it he shares that “Commonly used drugs-from stomach acid suppressors to antidepressants, to birth control pills, to cholesterol-lowering medicines, to pain relievers- can deplete your brain of life-saving nutrients that protect against free radical damage and can contain ingredients that can promote inflammation.” He also states that “estrogen interferes with the metabolism of B vitamins, which can raise homocysteine levels.” I took birth control pills for 15 years without realizing it was hindering my body’s absorption of B vitamins. My doctor did not warn me, and it isn’t anywhere in the fine print that came with my birth control packaging. Estrogen’s impact on my body’s nutrient absorption is one of the reasons I was experiencing brain decline at 29. I couldn't remember ordinary words when I wanted to use them in a sentence, like "grocery" or "bookshelf." They are not difficult words but I could not remember them in the moment I wanted to say something about them. After reading The Better Brain Book I started taking a B Complex supplement and eventually just got off birth control. There are also lifestyle changes that I made that I will share more about in a future video but making all these changes has notably improved my brain dexterity. My ability to remember ordinary words has bounced back and my overall brain clarity is much improved. This video is about the nutritional effects of medications but I will share more about the brain clarity topic in a future video. I don’t want you to miss out on important nutrients like I did. I’m about to list some medications that are known to deplete the body of at least one nutrient so that you can determine if you are affected.
B vitamins are vital to the production of energy, the creation of new blood cells, maintenance of skin and brain cells, and other body tissues.
Drugs that deplete the body of B vitamins include- Aspirin, Antibiotics, Antacid and stomach acid suppressors, antidiabetic drugs, Asthma drugs, blood-pressure lowering drugs, anticonvulsant drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, estrogens, estrogen substitutes for osteoporosis, anti-Parksison’s drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, Advil, Bayer Select, Motrin, Midol, corticosteroids: anti-inflammatory drugs - The Better Brain Book
CoQ10 also helps produce energy in the cells and is an antioxidant which protects the cells from free radicals- Drugs that deplete the body of CoQ10 include: Antidepressants, Antipsychotic drugs, Blood pressure-lowering drugs, Cholesterol-lowering drugs, antidiabetic drugs -The Better Brain Book
Glutathione is important for detoxing the body and it protects the cells from free radicals.
The drug that lowers Glutathione is Acetaminophen which can be found in Tylenol and over the counter cold medicines. -The Better Brain Book
We don’t always make the best decisions for our health but I think it’s really important that everyone at least has the opportunity to make informed decisions for their health. You or someone you love is likely taking one or more of these different medications. I am not saying that people should or should not take them. My hope is that everyone would at least be aware that there are extra steps to take if you do. What are the steps? I am not the originator of these secrets and I'd like to honor the author Dr. Perlmutter, who is the expert, by sending you over to him. In The Better Brain Book he gives very detailed lists of medications, how they affect the body, and exactly what you need to do to ensure your nutrition needs are being met. So if that's you, please read the book and take the recommended steps!
Link to the book
https://www.amazon.com/Better-Brain-Book-Improving-Preventing/dp/1594480931
Comments