NO doubt you’ve heard the warnings. Drugs to treat conditions of all shapes and sizes come with side effects – often unpleasant, dangerous, in rare cases life-threatening.
But a growing body of research suggests that certain treatments already available .
A scientific study published in the journal earlier this month suggested that the , which is available on the NHS, could reduce your risk of by 20 per cent.
Dementiawas the UK’s – around 75,393 people died making up 11.4 per cent of all recorded deaths.
This shows a steady increase from 74,261 in 2022 and 69,178 in 2021, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Experts say this rise in deaths is partly down to better testing and diagnosis, as well as the inevitability of an ageing population.
But dementia has also been linked to lifestyle habits like , , lack of , and .
While lifestyle changes are crucial in the fight against dementia, some everyday medications and vaccines – like the shingles jab – could also help lower the risk.
But before you rush to the pharmacy Ian Budd, a pharmacist at Chemist4U, tells Sun Health that anyone thinking about trying these drugs should speak to their GP first.
“Don’t start using them specifically to lower your dementia risk,”; he explains.
“There are potential negative side effects, and more scientific research is needed before these drugs can be recommended to treat the disease.”;
So, how exactly could the shingles jab protect the brain, and are there other medicines that offer similar protection?
1. Shinges vaccines
SHINGLES is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus as .
It usually starts with tingling or burning skin, followed by the telltale and blisters. Some people also get a fever or feel tired.
Scientists believe the varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles may increase the risk ofdementia.
Research by Stanford University in the US compared medical records from 280,000 people in Wales before and after the vaccine roll out began in 2013.
It found people who received the jab at age 79 were a fifth less likely to have dementia seven years later, in their mid-80s.
This adds to past findings that suggest theand vaccination could offer protection.
“The protective effect of this jab may help stop viral infections that can harm the nervous system,”; Pharmacist Ian says.
Until recently, experts believed dementia was mainly triggered by a build-up of harmful proteins in the brain.
But newer research suggests viruses that some cases of the disease may be triggered by viral or bacterial infections. Possibly by that travelling to the brain and triggering damage in brain cells.
Can I get it?
VACCINES to prevent shingles are already offered free on the NHS to everyone in their 70s.
Since 2023, it’s also being rolled out to people aged 65 and over, starting with those who turn 65 on or after September 1, 2023.
Anyone eligible should get a letter from their GP, but you can also check with your surgery if you’re unsure.
2. Ozempic
IT’S a drug that has dominated headlines – first as a treatment for , then as a .
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in treatments like and – known as GLP-1 agonists – could offer benefits to tackle a range of other conditions, including dementia.
“There’s early research suggesting it might lower dementia risk, especially in people with diabetes, by reducing inflammation and keeping blood sugar levels stable,”; Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser forIQdoctor, tells Sun Health.
A new review of 26 clinical trials involving more than 160,000 people found that these may significantly reduce the risk of developing any type of dementia.
Diabetes may be arisk factor for dementia, so previous studies have suggested that just controlling produces this protective effect.
But while most of these drugs didn’t reduce dementia risk, GLP-1 drugs did show a clear link to lower risk.
“Our findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists, in particular, may have a protective effect on brain health,”; Dr Catriona Reddin, senior author of the study published in Jama Neurology this month, said.
Although the exact mechanism is still unclear, the drugs have been linked to reduced .
Inflammation is increasingly being seen to be a significant contributor to a wide range of diseases.
By lowering this inflammation, the drugs may slow brain cell death, according to the researchers from the University of Galway in Ireland.
“More research is needed to understand exactly how semaglutide affectsdementiarisk and whether it could help people without diabetes in the future,”; Ian says.
Can I get them?
NHS weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, and Mounjaro are only prescribed through specialist clinics to patients with weight-related health issues. GPs are not routinely allowed to prescribe them currently.
Privately, jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy can be offered to people who are overweight or obese and have at least one weight-related health risk.
But some clinics were criticised for being too lax, so checks like video or in-person appointments are now required.
Speak to your GP if you are looking to try these drugs, and don’t start using them to specifically lower your dementia risk... there are negative side effects, and more scientific research is needed before these drugs could potentially be recommended to treat the brain disease.
3. Viagra
AS it turns out, the can do far more than just bolster your .
In June, Univeristy of Oxford scientists found the drug, also known as, enhances the function of brain blood vessels in patients at increased risk of dementia.
They said the research could have the potential to transform the treatment and prevention of vascular– which is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
“It could be beneficial through reversing the small blood vessel dysfunction that occurs with age and is the most common cause of vascular dementia,”; says Alastair Webb, a NHS consultant neurologist who led the study and a researcher at Imperial College London.
“By dilating smaller blood vessels, it could also help to reduce the stress on big blood vessels and reverse their increasing stiffness [with age], ”; he said in the paper published inCirculation Research, last summer.
Can I get them?
YOU can get sildenafil on the NHS for free if you have erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension.
Alternatively, you can buy sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, from a pharmacy after a chat with the pharmacist.
They’ll ask you some questions about your general health to make sure sildenafil is safe for you to take.
4. TB jab
THE shingles vaccine might not be the only jab that can prevent dementia.
The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) jab has been used for over eight decades to protect children against tuberculosis(TB)could also slash people’s risk.
Though the vaccine was primarily developed to fightTB, experts have discovered it can help the body fend off and treat other illnesses, including.
Scientists now believe the 100-year-old shot could reduce inflammation in the brain, a precursor fordementia.
The revelation about the old jab emerged during a 2019 study, published in PLOS One. which analysed the health data of 1,371 peoplewho had or had not received BCG as part of their treatment for bladder cancer.
Scientists fromHadassah-Hebrew University Medical Centre in Jerusalemfound that just 2.4 per cent of the patients treated with BCG developed Alzheimer’s over the following eight years, compared with 8.9 per cent of those not given the vaccine.
“Studies in older adults suggest it may have a protective effect on the brain, possibly by boosting the immune system in a way that helps protect brain cells,”; Dr Suzanne says.
Can I get it?
THE BCG vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) is available on the NHS, but it’s not routinely offered to everyone.
It’s specifically recommended for individuals at higher risk of TB infection.
This includes people with certain health conditions, as well as babies and children.
In the UK, the BCG jab is part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme for babies at higher risk of TB.
It’s also offered to people planning to travel to countries where TB is more common.
5. Painkillers
POPPING cheap over-the-counter painkillers like and can alsolower the risk of developing the memory-robbing disease.
Dutch scientists found this class of drugs, calledmedications, which help with headaches, period pains, colds and – could help protect against dementia.
“Increasing evidence from experimental studies... suggests a central role of inflammatory processes in various pathologies underlying dementia,”; researchers wrote in a study published to theJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, last month.
The team found that long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with a 12 per cent lower risk of developing dementia.
“While painkillers have been shown in studies to potentially prevent dementia, more evidence is needed,”; Ian adds.
“People shouldn’t just take the drug with the hope of warding off the condition.
“They can be dangerous due to side effects like stomach bleeding or kidney problems.”;
Can I get them?
YOU can buy ibuprofen and aspirin from most pharmacies and supermarkets.
You must be at least 16 years old to purchase them yourself, but a parent or guardian has to buy them on your behalf.
