Source: Pixabay
A high-sugar diet has developed a negative connotation over the past few decades. This can be attributed to the countless studies showing the adverse effects sugar can have on the body physically.
To further fuel the negativity associated with sugar, a recent study has found that high blood sugar levels are linked to negative cognitive effects in their participants.
The study, published in Diabetologia, observed 5,189 participants over a period of about 8 years. Their results concluded that all participants demonstrated a cognitive decline over this time span. Interestingly, however, those patients with observed high sugar levels demonstrated a much faster rate of cognitive decline than those with healthy sugar levels.
The study above exposes a clear relation between high sugar levels and cognitive decline, but this revelation is far from ground-breaking. Some scientists have long been referring to Alzheimer’s as ‘type-3 diabetes’. This name came about due to the fact that individuals with diabetes have a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s.
For me, this is a scary prospect. As a woman with a genetic disposition to diabetes and a sweet tooth propelled by the overwhelming amount of sugar in the South Asian diet, I am a clear candidate for developing Alzheimer’s.
How exactly does this development occur, though?
Dr. Eric Berg, from his YouTube channel Dr. Eric Berg DC, explains the mechanism behind the phenomenon in the video below.
In the video, Dr. Berg states that those with high sugar levels develop insulin-resistance in the body, which results in low sugar metabolism. This ‘starves’ the brain and creates significant memory failures, leading to Alzheimer’s. In the end, he mentions cutting out sugar from our diets entirely, to help prevent the development of the disease.
Cutting sugar out of our diets is no simple thing, however. The Keto Diet Podcast touches on some societal barriers when it comes to switching over into diets that involve less sugar. In her interview with Amy Berger regarding her book, The Alzheimer’s Antidote, Leanne Vogel mentions that even after a run fundraising for Alzheimer’s the meals offered included many dishes with carbohydrates, with few alternative options. She also mentions the candies being ever-present in her grandfather’s care home, despite him having developed the disease already.
Listen to the full podcast by clicking below.
Excess sugar leading to Alzheimer’s disease is a link that may now be considered a fact due to the overwhelming amount of evidence. In order to ensure a future of all round health, we should take care of avoiding extra sugar in our diet. Personally, I plan to replace the chocolate bar with an apple, skip the mid-day Frappuccino, and have the medicine go down without a spoonful of sugar.
-Pravnit Kooner
