Smokin' Ace

Alzheimer's Linked To Diabetes
CHICAGO, May 18, 2004


Diabetes might significantly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's, a study of 824 nuns, priests and Roman Catholic brothers found, bolstering the evidence linking the two diseases.

The participants in the study were 55 and older when the research began and were followed for an average of about six years. Alzheimer's developed in 151 participants, including 31 who had diabetes.

The researchers calculated that diabetics faced a 65 percent increased risk of developing the mind-robbing disease.

The link remained strong even when the researchers factored in the prevalence of strokes, which are a common complication of diabetes and are also believed to raise the risk of Alzheimer's.

Previous research has linked diabetes with memory problems, and diabetes is known to damage blood vessels that supply the brain. But studies looking specifically at diabetes and Alzheimer's have had conflicting results.

"This is one of the first long-term studies to follow people who start out with no evidence of Alzheimer's disease and track how having diabetes affects their risk of developing it," said William Thies, vice president for medical and scientific affairs at the Alzheimer's Association. "It's a powerful argument for doing everything you can to control your blood sugar."

Type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes in older people, can often be controlled and even cured with exercise and diet.

Dr. George King of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston called the research "quite important in light of the fact that diabetes is exploding," with some 18 million Americans affected and the numbers expected to double by 2050.

He said if the link is real, there could be a corresponding surge in Alzheimer's cases.

The study was led by Drs. Zoe Arvanitakis and David Bennett and colleagues at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. It was published Monday in the May issue of Archives of Neurology.

The next step for researchers is to find out exactly how diabetes might lead to Alzheimer's.

Some scientists have theorized that diabetes might cause an overabundance of glucose in the brain, which could damage brain cells.

One recent mouse study involving Joslin researchers suggests that insulin abnormalities in diabetes might affect a protein called tau, which in Alzheimer's forms tangles in brain cells.

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This is hitting close to home with me. My fatehr was just diagnosed with Diabetes and he is taking pills. I was not expecting this, not from my father, I was worried about cancer, because that is what both of his parents died from. My Dad has diabetes and High Blood Pressure. Now my mother has severe high blood pressure, with intolerance to glucose. My maternal grandmother was diabetic, and severe hypertensive! So where does that leave mea nd my daughter, between a rock and a hard place. My grandparents kept their minds, but these diseases change and take on a mind of their own. My mother gave me a scare back in April, and needless to say she had a mild stroke.

Our parents, our grandparents, our relatives, are where we come from. I have a strong family base, and My parents, and my daughter are my world. Diabetes, and high blood pressure are not my relatives, neither is cancer. Everbody get your check ups, take someone to get their check ups. If you know someone that is a diabetic or anything else check on them, and let them know that you care. Depression also falls in with these diseases.

I was not trying to get on my soap box with this one, but it hit close to home, and I do not want to see our elders lose their minds. They have the wisdom, and the knowlede to know to keep us straight. We need to be at their feet learning as much as we can from them, and then fight this evil disease.

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I agree with you on getting check up for you and those around you!!
My mother is diabetic and has shown signs of this since she was my age. I'm 45 and mom is 84.. It has taken its toll on her body, with light strokes, and eye problems, kidney infections.
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes 4 years ago.. and was never able to shake it, so I am in the early stages of diabetes..

No symptoms, but from checking my sugars occasionally after my pregnancy I saw high numbers and knew I was on the road to full blown Diabetes..

I did'nt wanna take insulin or pills ,so I reckoned I better start managing it another way!

Two months ago, I resolved to try that Atkins diet (low low carbs) After two weeks I had tons of energy, felt much better. Not to mention a bonus 25 lbs weight loss..

I have increased my carbs since then and tend to notice more about what I put in our mouths..
Nuts and cheeses better snacks than say.. crackers or bread.

As a whole the population has tripled or more its consumption of refined sugars and flour since the time when corn was ground coarser and more nuts and seeds were used in diets, along with greens.

As hunters and gathers we consumed more meat and greens, cooked with real fat, used real butter, eggs, and other more back to nature Items.

Ok so I am rambling.. but the ending result of going low carb and eating more sensibly is my blood sugars are normal now...even perfect..

My 2 cent... Have a great day!