44 - The Medication Trap: Why Your Pills Need a Checkup Too with Dr. Monica Leriger

Pharmacist Dr. Monica Leriger joins the Mental Wealth Pod team to unpack how aging changes drug metabolism, why "new symptom = possible drug side effect," anticholinergic burden and cognitive fog, herbal supplement risks, generics vs. brand names, psych meds and food/drug interactions, and the future of personalized pharmacology. Top highlights: Rule of thumb: any new symptom in an older adult should be treated as a possible drug side effect first Anticholinergic burden from combined OTC/prescription meds can mimic dementia Herbals aren't regulated for potency/interactions — same "50mg" label can vary by source Generics are FDA-equivalent except thyroid meds, where manufacturer consistency matters Diet matters: grapefruit juice inhibits liver enzymes; even watermelon caused a real diarrhea case Episode Transcript: https://mentalwealthpod.com/44-the-medication-trap-why-your-pills-need-a-checkup-too-with-dr-monica-leriger The Mental Wealth Podcast is co-hosted by Mukund and Rob, with Dr. Ethan Levine serving as clinical advisor, and delivers evidence-based conversations on mental wellness, anxiety, resilience, burnout, and emotional intelligence. www.mentalwealthpod.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MentalWealthPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mental_wealth_pod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mental_wealth_pod DISCLAIMER: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not constitute legal, medical, or other forms of professional advice. The material and information presented here is for general information and entertainment purposes only. The "Mental Wealth Podcast" and names and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.