The common diabetes symptom linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
A new study finds that spikes in blood sugar, a common symptom in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes, are linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
People with high post-meal blood sugar had a higher chance of later developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to research by the University of Liverpool.
Postprandial blood sugar spikes, or postprandial hyperglycemia, occur when glucose levels rise rapidly and stay high for a longer period of time.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Andrew Mason said: “This finding may help shape future prevention strategies by highlighting the importance of managing blood sugar not only generally but particularly after meals.”
Scientists from the university’s Systems Institute, Molecular and Integrative Biology, analyzed genetic data from more than 350,000 people aged 40 to 69, using data from the UK Biobank.
They looked at markers of how the body processes sugar, including fasting glucose, insulin levels and blood sugar measured two hours after eating.
The research revealed that people with high post-meal blood sugar have a 69 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in later life.
“This was not explained by changes in overall brain size or damage to white matter, suggesting that the risk may operate through more subtle mechanisms,” the study said.
Post-meal blood sugar spikes are a key symptom of diabetes or pre-diabetic disease and can usually be managed through a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight control.
One of the senior authors of the study, Dr. Vicky Garfield said: “We first need to replicate these results in other populations and ancestors to confirm the link and better understand the underlying biology.
“If confirmed, the study could pave the way for new approaches to reducing the risk of dementia in people with diabetes.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in the UK and the leading cause of death. While there are fewer than a million people estimated to have dementia in the UK, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for the majority of cases.
Previous research has identified a link between high blood sugar and dementia, showing that people with diabetes are about 60 percent more likely to develop dementia than people without diabetes.
Frequent episodes of low blood sugar are linked to a 50 percent higher risk of cognitive decline.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the risk of dementia increases the longer a person has diabetes and the severity of diabetes increases. To reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, the charity recommends eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting health checks as you get older.
