Alzheimer's Could Be Diabetes of the Brain?

Here is a NEW twist or at least new evidence that Diabetes and Alzheimer's have something in common! Both involve insulin resistance and  chronic inflammation. Studies taking place now are examining the link between Diabetes and Alzheimer's and some have even called Alzheimer's disease...type 3 Diabetes.

LINK:

http://doctormurray.com/new-study-adds-to-the-evidence-that-alzheimers-disease-is-diabetes-of-the-brain/

EXCERPTS:

A new study from researchers affiliated with Harvard and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston provides additional evidence on the link between blood sugar control, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The primary brain lesions of AD are the result of deposits of a substance known as beta-amyloid. Although the immune cells in the brain normally remove beta-amyloid and plaque, research is beginning to characterize a chronic and excessive inflammatory reaction to amyloid proteins in the brain in susceptible individuals that can promote AD.

The tremendous increase in AD parallels the rise in type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance suggesting a possible connection. It is well established that type 2 diabetics have a 1.5 to 4-fold risk for AD, as well asdementia caused by damage to the blood vessels of the brain. Insulin resistance in the brain is associated with poor uptake of glucose by brain cells and localized inflammation that leads to beta-amyloid formation. Hence measures to improve blood sugar control and improve insulin sensitivity appear to be important steps in the prevention of AD.

New Data:

The study subjects were 65 people with an average of 66 years. Of these subjects, 35 had type 2 diabetes (T2D). All subjects were tested at the start of the study and then two years later with a MRI scan to measure blood flow, various blood tests including C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation) and several tests of cognitive ability.

At the end of two years, people with diabetes had greater declines in gray matter volume, composite scores on mental tests, and in rates of blood flow to the brain than those in the control group. They also had greater increases in blood measures of inflammation. Among the group with diabetes, those with more severe declines in brain blood flow had correspondingly greater declines on tests of mental skills.

These results indicate that inflammation due to insulin resistance leads to changes in blood flow and blood vessel flexibility that consequently accelerates the decline in mental function and daily activities performance in older people with T2D.

 SOME ADVICE GIVEN:

Keep your blood glucose levels under control by eating right, exercising, and building your dietary regimen around vegetables, fish, lean meats, mono unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil,  along with losing weight.

Supplements you should be including in your regimen include Vitamin D3 (I take 10,000 mg daily), high potency multiple vitamin, and i would add vitamin E, High quality fish oil, Pycogenol, or pine bark extract, 5000 PLUS mg of vitamin C daily combined with 3000 mg of L-Lysine and 1000 of Proline along with CoQ10. You might take a hard look at Alpha Lipoic Acid and L-Carnitine and as the article mentions start taking a special form of curcumin which is the yellow pigment of Turmeric.

I buy most of my vitamins from Puritan Pride and/or Swanson Health products and occasionally from Vita-Cost and other outlets. The article I read is promoting a special form of curcumin called Theracurmin. I have not personally tried this product and cannot speak to its effectiveness over curcumin which has been around from various outlets for some time.

I am a big believer in diet, exercise and taking key supplements that have proven their worth over time.

3 John 2King James Version (KJV)

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth

God Bless,

Dan