Elevated Blood Sugar – The New Alzheimer’s?
February 26, 2009 by GiGi
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There has been some interesting research lately that links the possibility of elevated blood sugar to developing Alzheimer’s.
In fact, a recent study revealed that as many as 70 percent of elderly people with chronically elevated blood sugar are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Learning and memory can be affected when glucose isn’t able to be transported into the brain cells. Insulin resistance (caused by high blood sugar) is the culprit.
High blood sugar also causes AGE’s (advanced glycation end products). AGEs cause damage to blood vessels, and they’re known to accumulate in memory-related regions of the brain.
Researchers are now beginning to suggest that Alzheimer’s is the new “type 3 diabetes”.
What Can You Do?
Obviously, a healthy lifestyle is the key here – diet in particular. Nothing you probably haven’t heard before, but let’s go over it again:
- Reduce your sugar intake – that means all the “hidden” sugars
- Processed carbohydrates – breads, most pastas and snacks convert to sugar in your body
- Watch out for fruit juice – most of it is high in sugar
- Fat-free food is generally higher in sugar
- Maintain a healthy weight – most people with high blood sugar are overweight
- Exercise! Both aerobic exercise and strength training improve blood sugar levels.
There are supplements you can take to help regulate your blood sugar.
- N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)—a proven antioxidant that’s been shown to protect against blood sugar spikes and oxidative stress.
- L-carnosine – protects neuronal cells from glycation
- Goat’s rue, bitter melon, and cinnamon sustain glucose tolerance and improve insulin sensitivity
But I’m guessing that for most people, maintaining that healthy weight along with the proper diet and exercise will go far in keeping that elevated blood sugar level under control.
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Thanks for the tipps. I tried a lot and found out, that the biggest problem was the sugar which is in a lot of things.
That’s interesting to hear! It’s been known that excessive sugar and high GI carbs causes diabetes, weight gain and high cholesterol (stimulates the liver’s production), and now Alzheimers as well. It has also been shown that sugars cause more free radicals as well as degredation of proteins including collagen to cause mroe wrinkles and signs of aging. So combine a good wrinkle cream with diet changes if you’re interested in looking younger and fighting wrinkles as well. It seems like less sugar is anti aging in many aspects.