Type 2 Diabetes Increases Dementia
Dementia many of us fear as we head towards our latter years, and for good reason. Seeing firsthand how helpless victims of this condition are and frustratingly unresponsive to treatment. According to the Journal of Neuroepidemiology, 1 out of ten individuals above 65 years have dementia in the US.
The prevalence of dementia among individuals aged 71 and older was 13.9%, comprising about 3.4 million individuals in the USA in 2002. The corresponding values for AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) were 9.7% and 2.4 million individuals. Dementia prevalence increased with age, from 5.0% of those aged 71–79 years to 37.4% of those aged 90 and older.
Type 2 diabetes has been consistently associated with an increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia; mild cognitive impairment, which is a condition preceding dementia; and cognitive decline, which is the progressive clinical hallmark of dementia.
But what is the link and how can you reduce your risk.
Understanding the connection
Diabetes can cause several complications, such as damage to your blood vessels. Diabetes is considered a risk factor for vascular dementia. This type of dementia occurs due to brain damage that is often caused by reduced or blocked blood flow to your brain.
Many people with diabetes have brain changes that are hallmarks of both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Some researchers think that each condition fuels the damage caused by the other.
There are ongoing research is direct at trying to have better understand the link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes. That link may occur as a result of the complex ways that type 2 diabetes affects the ability of the brain and other body tissues to use sugar (glucose) and respond to insulin. It is know individuals who have type 2 diabetes has a conditions called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood. As a result, your pancreas makes more insulin to help glucose enter your cells.
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic also found that some people have a gene called APOE4, which significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by interfering with the brain’s ability to use insulin.
It is also noted that type 2 diabetes is also associated with mild cognitive disorder (MCD) a condition that mildly affect thinking (cognitive) and memory function as one gets older. It also has been observed diabetes may increase MCD worsening to dementia.
Reducing your risk
The good news is type 2 diabetes is preventable could be reverse by lifestyle modification. Too often the problem is many physicians put more emphasis on therapeutics rather treating the underlying cause through life style modifications.
There’s good evidence that at least half of the risk of dementia is attributed to poor lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and smoking. Equally important the genetic component, having the APOE4 gene doesn’t mean that Alzheimer’s is inevitable, and those with the genotype may benefit even more from making some simple lifestyle changes.
Working with your physician, nutritionist and fitness trainer as healthcare team to prevent diabetes or manage your diabetes has been shown to be an effective strategy to avoid or reduce complications. Diabetes prevention or effective diabetes management may also help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Preventing diabetes or managing it successfully may also help you avoid other complications, such as:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Eye damage
- Kidney disease
- Nerve damage, which may cause pain in your feet or hands (diabetic neuropathy)
- Digestive problems (gastroparesis is a chronic disorder which means delayed stomach emptying without a blockage. Common in type 2 diabetes)
- Bone and joint problems
- Erectile dysfunction
- Circulatory insufficiency which lead to amputations
- Premature aging
Steps to prevent or manage diabetes and avoid potential complications include:
- Follow your health care team’s recommendations about the most appropriate plan for monitoring your blood glucose, cholesterol level and blood pressure.
- Eat healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat milk and cheese.
- If you’re overweight, eat a healthy diet and exercise to lose weight. Obesity can lead to diabetes and other health problems.
- Don’t smoke.
- Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
- Examine your feet daily for sores.
- Take any prescribed medications on schedule.
Many studies suggests that diet and activity changes that lead to weight loss are especially effective in reducing diabetes risk.
In the prevention of dementia even small steps can make a big difference. In a major clinical research study, participants with blood sugar levels slightly above normal (pre-diabetes) cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 50 percent through exercise (30 minutes five days a week) and as little as a 5 to 7 percent loss in body weight. That weight loss translates to 10 to 14 pounds (4.5 to 6.4 kilograms) for a 200-pound (about 91-kilogram) person.
Warning: At this time there is no cure and no treatment that slows or stops dementia progression so our best measure against it is prevention, by living a healthy lifestyle.
