Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease: What You Need to Know

Diabetes is increasingly regarded as a public health threat in India because of its widespread prevalence. The condition is believed to affect an estimated 69.1 million Indians, but the actual numbers could be considerably higher. Most people suffer from type-2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. When not managed properly, levels of sugar or glucose in the blood rise and this increases the risk of damage to various organs, including the brain. Not surprisingly, there is growing evidence to suggest a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. 

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most dreaded health conditions as it severely affects memory and other important mental functions. Moreover, the progressive neurologic disorder has no known cure and worsens over time. It is the most common cause of dementia, which is the term used to describe a range of symptoms of cognitive decline, including forgetfulness, memory loss, impaired learning, reduced social skills, and so on. 

Alzheimer’s disease involves degeneration of brain cells and brain cell connections, resulting in memory loss, mental decline, difficulty thinking, loss of problem-solving skills, loss of communication skills, changes in behaviour, and other mental issues. Because of the severity of the condition, it affects one’s ability to function normally on a daily basis. 

Although the condition is commonly associated with old age it is not an inevitable part of the aging process and can also affect younger adults. Treatments can help to slow the disease progression, helping improve quality of life, but there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. As the condition progresses, patients lose the ability to have conversations or comprehend situations.

The Relationship Between Diabetes And Alzheimer’s Disease

Diabetes and Alzheimer’s are distinct diseases that were long regarded as completely separate, but it is now clear that they share a complex relationship that we don’t fully understand. However, we do know for sure that diabetes increases the risk of this degenerative brain disease. According to some research, patients with type-2 diabetes have a 60 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. The same large-scale study, which included over 100,000 participants also found that women with diabetes are more at risk of vascular dementia as compared to men.

The link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease is so strong that some researchers have also proposed that the degenerative brain disease be classified as a type of diabetes, coining the term – type-3 diabetes. This proposal is based on the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s disease results from a type of insulin resistance and anomalies in the function of insulin-like growth factor in the brain. However, this is simply a hypothesis and there is no scientific consensus, which is why the term type-3 diabetes is not used by health care providers. 

How Diabetes Increases The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

When diabetes is left untreated, blood sugar levels can remain high for prolonged periods, causing damage to blood vessels throughout the body. This also includes blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. At the same time, it’s worth noting that type-2 diabetes often remains undiagnosed for years, greatly increasing the risk of this type of brain damage. In addition to delayed diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, inappropriate treatment or poor management of diabetes also increases the risk of hyperglycaemia and consequent damage to the brain. 

In addition to the risk of Alzheimer’s associated with hyperglycaemia or high blood sugar because of delayed or inappropriate treatment, diabetes can also cause chemical imbalances in the brain that can trigger the onset of Alzheimer’s. High blood sugar levels are also associated with systemic inflammation, which is also a risk factor for damage to brain cells. 

Some studies also suggest that there may be a connection between insulin pathways and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers believe that there is increased resistance in insulin pathways because of diabetes and obesity and this may explain why diabetes patients with Alzheimer’s experience a faster progression of the disease. 

All of these factors work together to make diabetic patients particularly vulnerable to vascular dementia, which causes problems with memory, judgement, problem-solving, and other thought processes. This is a warning sign for Alzheimer’s disease and can also overlap with Alzheimer’s.

How To Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

The most important step to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is to adhere strictly to your diabetes treatment and keep blood sugar levels in check. This requires regular monitoring of blood sugar levels and making the recommended dietary and lifestyle changes, such as following a low glycaemic diet and getting adequate physical activity. Here are some additional suggestions to help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia:

• If you are overweight or obese, try to lose weight with a healthy diet and exercise routine as even small reductions in bodyweight can help with blood sugar regulation, lowering the risk of organ damage. 
• A diet that is low in processed foods and primarily includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats can help with the management of diabetes symptoms, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Quit smoking, as smoking not only increases the risk of vascular problems, but it also increases oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, which are known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Studies show that the use of antidiabetic medications like metformin and insulin may lower the risk of brain damage that is linked to diabetes. 
• Take steps to lower stress levels and improve sleep quality as sleep impairment is known to make you more susceptible to Alzheimer’s.

Although there’s a need for more evidence, higher levels of social contact and cognitively stimulating activities like solving puzzles and learning new skills is also believed to increase protection against Alzheimer’s. Of course, the most important step is to effectively control your diabetes with medication, diet and exercise. 

References Link:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5259959/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209735/
3. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/39/2/300
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32092326/
6. https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad131901
7. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/sleep-loss-encourages-spread-toxic-alzheimers-protein