She explained this was because some versions of the hay fever drugs \u2014 called antihistamines\u00a0\u2014 have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘I would always advise taking a non-drowsy antihistamine as opposed to one that causes drowsiness because the drowsy antihistamines interfere with the neurotransmitters in the brain,’ she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘If we’re using those long term, there is a distinct risk of dementia as a result of this.’<\/p>\n
Mrs Grayson, who works with the Nutritional Medicine Institute, said such drugs interfere with\u00a0acetylcholine\u00a0\u2014 a natural chemical in the brain \u2014 which plays a critical role in memory and cognitive function.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Some](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/95445957-14667785-Some_studies_suggest_antihistamines_commonly_taken_for_hay_fever-a-18_174610214975.jpeg\")
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Some studies suggest antihistamines, commonly taken for hay fever, are linked to increased dementia risk<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/97913621-14667785-The_warning_comes_with_most_of_England_and_Wales_in_the_grip_of_-a-147_17461108543.jpeg\")
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The warning comes with most of England and Wales in the grip of ‘very high’ or ‘high’ pollen levels, leaving many hay fever sufferers reaching for the medicine cabinet<\/p>\n
‘If you’re taking a sedative antihistamine such as Nytol or Night Nurse to help you sleep, that’s really not something that you want to be taking everyday,’ she said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
She added: ‘Sometimes they might be prescribed by the GP for a particular reason and that’s fine but if we’re just looking for simple sleep support, then I would advocate not taking it on a regular basis.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, Mrs Grayson’s urged people to take what she called\u00a0second-generation\u00a0antihistamines\u00a0like Cetirizine and Loratadine which don’t carry the same level of risk.<\/p>\n
But she added it was best for hay fever sufferers to see if a few easy lifestyle tweaks could help provide relief rather than relying on medications.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘One of the simplest tricks is to physically block the pollen from entering your system. Rubbing a small amount of Vaseline around the inside of your nostrils can help trap pollen before it causes problems,’ she said.<\/p>\n
‘Wearing sunglasses outdoors can protect your eyes, and staying indoors when the pollen count is particularly high, usually early in the morning or late in the evening, can prevent a major flare-up.<\/p>\n
‘Showering and changing clothes after being outside can help wash away any lingering pollen, and keeping windows closed, especially at night, can stop pollen drifting in while you sleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘If you suffer badly, using a fan with a HEPA filter in your bedroom can also help reduce pollen in the air and give you a better night’s sleep.’<\/p>\n
![\"But](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/70440883-14667785-But_they_can_also_be_a_sign_of_dementia_the_memory_robbing_condi-a-20_174610218749.jpeg\")
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But they can also be a sign of dementia \u2014 the memory-robbing condition plaguing nearly 1million Brits and 7million Americans<\/p>\n
While multiple experts have spoken about the dementia risk of some hay fever medications and urged patients to choose alternatives, evidence on the dangers remains mixed<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dr Anthony L Komaroff, an experienced family doctor and editor in chief of the Harvard Health Letter, said while he thinks twice about using such drugs, the science was not yet settled.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘In the past decade, several studies have suggested that these pills might increase the risk of dementia, while other studies have found no risk. And all the studies are inherently flawed,’ he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Studies that have found a link between the drugs and dementia include one\u00a02015 paper that tracked the brain health of more than 3,400 participants over 65 years old between 1994 and 2012.\u00a0<\/p>\n Researchers found there was a link between increased doses of\u00a0anticholinergics\u00a0\u2014 drugs that interfere with the brain’s release acetylcholine like hay fever medications \u2014 and those that developed dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n Separate 2024 research<\/a>,\u00a0published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, also revealed a link between antihistamines and dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n In that study experts used data from\u00a0Taiwan<\/a>\u2019s National Health Insurance Research Database from 2011 to 2017.<\/p>\n It included more than 700,000 patients with recent-onset hay fever. They were split into groups\u00a0\u2014 those that didn’t take antihistamines and those that did.\u00a0<\/p>\n Around 900,000 Britons are currently thought to have the memory-robbing disorder. But University College London scientists estimate this will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 per cent uptick on the previous forecast in 2017<\/p>\n After making adjustments for pre-existing medical conditions, the researchers found there was a dose-dependent increase in dementia risk from taking the drugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hay fever drugs aren’t the only\u00a0anticholinergic medications commonly taken.<\/p>\n Other examples include some sleep medications, those treating urinary incontinence, nausea, muscle tension and Parkinson’s disease.<\/p>\n In December last year, a British study on more than a million people found taking anticholinergics was linked to an 18 per cent increased risk of a dementia diagnosis<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Men were slightly more vulnerable \u2014 their increased risk was 22 per cent, compared to women at 16 per cent.<\/p>\n Dementia is a condition has multiple causes.<\/p>\n Two of the most common are Alzheimer’s disease and a reduced blood flow to the brain following a stroke, the latter being known as vascular dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dementia affects an estimated one million people in the UK.<\/p>\n![\"Around](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/77039039-14667785-Around_900_000_Britons_are_currently_thought_to_have_the_memory_-a-19_174610218110.jpeg\")
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