17 replies to this topic

[ta5]

There's a new study coming out that suggests beta blockers may help prevent Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. There's older studies that also suggest this is possible.

There's also some reason to think beta blockers extend lifespan.

What do folks here think about taking beta blockers for general health?

I'm considering this since I took one for years for other reasons, and had no problem with it. I rather liked it since I tend to be anxious, but I know others would not like the lethargic feeling it can give.

No doubt some will be concerned about it's effects on cognition. There's that. Personally, I didn't notice any. It may depend on the person or the situation. It can improve cognition during stress. More often that might be what I need.

http://articles.lati...mentia-20130108

Beta blockers, a venerable class of blood pressure drugs that has fallen from favor in recent years, may help protect the aging brain against changes linked to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia that rob memory and mental function, new research indicates.

In autopsies on the brains of 774 men after their deaths, scientists found that those who took beta blockers to help control hypertension had fewer of the brain lesions and less of the brain shrinkage seen in Alzheimer's than men who took other types of blood pressure medications and those who left the condition untreated. Their brains also showed significantly less evidence of multiple tiny strokes, called microinfarcts.

A parallel study showed that an expanded group of men who took beta blockers also experienced less cognitive decline as they aged compared with those in the control groups.

β1-Adrenergic receptor blockade extends the life span of Drosophila and long-lived mice.
Spindler SR, Mote PL, Li R, Dhahbi JM, Yamakawa A, Flegal JM, Jeske DR, Li R, Lublin AL.
Age (Dordr). 2013 Jan 15.
PMID: 23314750

Chronic treatment with β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) agonists increases mortality and morbidity while βAR antagonists (β-blockers) decrease all-cause mortality for those at risk of cardiac disease.

Blocking ß-adrenergic signaling attenuates reductions in circulating leptin, cancellous bone mass, and marrow adiposity seen with dietary energy restriction.
Baek K, Bloomfield SA.
J Appl Physiol. 2012 Sep 20.
PMID: 22995391

The effect of beta blockade on stress-induced cognitive dysfunction in adolescents.
Faigel HC.
Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1991 Jul;30(7):441-5.
PMID: 1879101

A single dose of propranolol immediately before the SAT permitted improved performance in students prone to cognitive dysfunction due to test anxiety.

[cuprous]

I've used beta blockers and can completley understand why they might help someone in a test situation. It effectively kills adrenalines ability to influence your body and mind. You're simply you.

That written I find they are tiring and they are known to cause hair loss. I would sooner experiment with ashwanganda and build up a meditation routine for dealing with anxiety.

[ta5]

For me, anti-anxiety would be a minor side-benefit. My biggest reason would be for alzheimer's and cognitive decline prevention which runs in my family. And, reducing blood pressure.

Edited by ta5, 25 February 2013 - 03:20 AM.

[david ellis]

For me, anti-anxiety would be a minor side-benefit. My biggest reason would be for alzheimer's and cognitive decline prevention which runs in my family. And, reducing blood pressure.

Thanks ta5, I had heard about propranolol and big A. I am glad to read the rest of the story.

[maik2013]

I'm taking beta blockers in small amounts and i have a theory about this. Basically it's the same why calorie restriction or blocking the hgh receptors work. It's slowing you and your biological processes down. You are less active, have less stress. I hope you understand. I was also thinking about working less as anti aging strategy, which ties into this. But i wouldn't recommend to take it if you don't have high blood pressure or high heart rate like myself. There needs to be better ways, like reducing stress, reducing work, maybe oral intake of cannabis or legal herbs like gingko.

[tunt01]

I've also considered taking a beta blocker for the reasons mentioned in the OP. Haven't spent enough time on it to have a definitive viewpoint yet.

Saw an interesting article about it being helpful in prostate cancer (stress induces mets). Think it would fit my phenotype well also (similar to OP).

[AgeVivo]

they are known to cause hair loss

difficult choice for uncertain effects on lifespan...

[blood]

I take 40 mg/day propranolol on most weekdays (80 mg if I have to give a talk). This is mostly for social anxiety. I don't get any tiredness with these doses.
Since I've been taking high doses of tocotrienols, my hair growth is more vigorous and my hair seems thicker (or, there is more of it)... (noticeable, even though I have a buzz cut). So, no hair thinning effect evident just yet.

[Nootropic Cat]

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

[medievil]

Pindolol is good stuff added to a ssri works damn well for premature ejaculation, also blocks 5HT1A and 5HT1B.

[Turnbuckle]

I've been taking 160 mg propranolol for years with no problem. Well...there is one little problem, and that's getting my heart rate up in the gym. Very difficult. A side benefit of that is public speaking, which I do from time to time, and now that's no problem at all.

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

I haven't noticed anything of that nature, either up or down, at 16 times the dose.

[DbCooper]

Beta Blockers clog my shower drain.

[Nootropic Cat]

I've been taking 160 mg propranolol for years with no problem. Well...there is one little problem, and that's getting my heart rate up in the gym. Very difficult. A side benefit of that is public speaking, which I do from time to time, and now that's no problem at all.

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

I haven't noticed anything of that nature, either up or down, at 16 times the dose.

Wow. I've taken anywhere from 10-60mg in a day and while I like the anxiolytic effects, I find it spaces me out, messes with my memory, stops me getting to sleep if taken too close to bedtime, and zonks me out the next morning. Horses for courses I guess.

[niner]

Beta Blockers clog my shower drain.

You mean they make your hair fall out?

[Turnbuckle]

I've been taking 160 mg propranolol for years with no problem. Well...there is one little problem, and that's getting my heart rate up in the gym. Very difficult. A side benefit of that is public speaking, which I do from time to time, and now that's no problem at all.

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

I haven't noticed anything of that nature, either up or down, at 16 times the dose.

Wow. I've taken anywhere from 10-60mg in a day and while I like the anxiolytic effects, I find it spaces me out, messes with my memory, stops me getting to sleep if taken too close to bedtime, and zonks me out the next morning. Horses for courses I guess.

Do you not have hypertension?

[Nootropic Cat]

I've been taking 160 mg propranolol for years with no problem. Well...there is one little problem, and that's getting my heart rate up in the gym. Very difficult. A side benefit of that is public speaking, which I do from time to time, and now that's no problem at all.

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

I haven't noticed anything of that nature, either up or down, at 16 times the dose.

Wow. I've taken anywhere from 10-60mg in a day and while I like the anxiolytic effects, I find it spaces me out, messes with my memory, stops me getting to sleep if taken too close to bedtime, and zonks me out the next morning. Horses for courses I guess.

Do you not have hypertension?

No. I was prescribed it for anxiety.

[Turnbuckle]

I've been taking 160 mg propranolol for years with no problem. Well...there is one little problem, and that's getting my heart rate up in the gym. Very difficult. A side benefit of that is public speaking, which I do from time to time, and now that's no problem at all.

What would you guys consider a minimum dose? For me even 10mg has significant anti-nootropic effects.

I haven't noticed anything of that nature, either up or down, at 16 times the dose.

Wow. I've taken anywhere from 10-60mg in a day and while I like the anxiolytic effects, I find it spaces me out, messes with my memory, stops me getting to sleep if taken too close to bedtime, and zonks me out the next morning. Horses for courses I guess.

Do you not have hypertension?

No. I was prescribed it for anxiety.

It does cross the BBB and has an effect on several neurotransmitters, and sleep disturbances are a known side effect, so it seems not to be for you. You might try a less lipophilic beta blocker. Or you might try melatonin at night since some beta blockers decrease that.

Edited by Turnbuckle, 02 March 2013 - 12:56 PM.

[tunt01]

Further evidence of Beta Blockers as a strategy vs. tauopthies and possibly longevity enhancing (though maybe only against transgenic tau producing mice)

If anyone can pull the supplemental data/results and post it, I'd be curious.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/24626633

Genetic suppression of β2-adrenergic receptors ameliorates tau pathology in a mouse model of tauopathies.




Accumulation of the microtubule-binding protein tau is a key event in several neurodegenerative disorders referred to as tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration. Thus, understanding the molecular pathways leading to tau accumulation will have a major impact across multiple neurodegenerative disorders. To elucidate the pathways involved in tau pathology, we removed the gene encoding the beta-2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) from a mouse model overexpressing mutant human tau. Notably, the number of β2ARs is increased in brains of AD patients and epidemiological studies show that the use of beta blockers decreases the incidence of AD. The mechanisms underlying these observations, however, are not clear. We show that the tau transgenic mice lacking the β2AR gene had a reduced mortality rate compared to the parental tau transgenic mice. Removing the gene encoding the β2ARs from the tau transgenic mice also significantly improved motor deficits. Neuropathologically, the improvement in lifespan and motor function were associated with a reduction in brain tau immunoreactivity and phosphorylation. Mechanistically, we provide compelling evidence that the β2AR-mediated changes in tau were linked to a reduction in the activity of GSK3β and CDK5, two of the major tau kinases. These studies provide a mechanistic link between β2ARs and tau and suggest the molecular basis linking the use of beta-blockers to a reduced incidence of AD. Furthermore, these data suggest that a detailed pharmacological modulation of β2ARs could be exploited to develop better therapeutic strategies for AD and other tauopathies.