Is Alzheimers Diabetes of the Brain?
Is Alzheimer’s really a type 3 diabetes of the brain?
Evidence suggests it is.
By which I mean that insulin and Avandia, drugs used to control diabetes somewhat successfully have a definite beneficial effect on the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Note that is NOT the same as saying they will help Alzheimer’s, once developed.
This startling new turn has been reinforced by a study published Feb 2009 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers at Northwestern University treated nerve cells from the hippocampus, which is where we make our lasting memories. They subjected cells to insulin and the drug Avandia, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes. In doing so the researchers discovered that insulin protected the cells from clumps of toxic proteins called beta-amyloid. This structural change (amyloid plaques), along with neurofibrillary tangles, are the two definitive markers for Alzheimer’s.
It is beginning to look like Alzheimer’s is actually a third type of diabetes! Dr. Sergio T. Ferreira, a member of the research team and a professor of biochemistry in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said in a news release,"Recognizing that Alzheimer's disease is a type of brain diabetes points the way to novel discoveries that may finally result in disease-modifying treatments for this devastating disease."
Brain cells need insulin to survive and a drop in brain insulin levels leads to brain cell damage. Memory loss can occur if the cells that die are located in the hippocampus.
Patients with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin, or the body does not use insulin properly. It’s the same thing, meaning a “no insulin effect”.
Clearly the new study shows that lowered insulin leads to damage of the memory-forming structures and automatically raises the risk of Alzheimer’s. Avandia was beneficial because it raises insulin levels.
Well, we all know that sensitivity to insulin decreases as we age. Indeed, many doctors think this is THE number one marker for aging and senility. Ironically, this so-called “insulin resistance” is measured by increasing insulin levels in the blood. The insulin has less and less effect but the body goes on secreting it hopefully, in increasingly larger amounts.
So if you want to age well, keep your insulin levels DOWN. Eat less sugar and starch.
So, of course, we come back to the old argument that eating sugary junk food causes diabetes. Incredibly, some doctors argue this isn’t proven. Do they maybe work for the sugar industry or hold shares?
Finally, if you haven’t joined the dots yet, Alzheimer’s is not a genetic condition, whatever is claimed. It’s environmental and triggered by lousy diets, especially sugar, starch and junk.
Just to hammer the message home!
Coincidentally another study was published in the same week, which showed diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia by over 200%.
The study, which focused on over 13,000 Swedish twin sets, found that people who diagnosed with diabetes before age 65 years had more than double the normal chance of developing Alzheimer's disease. The connection vanished once the seventh decade was entered.
By focusing on twins, researchers removed many genetic differences, as well as differences in poverty level, at least during childhood.
Dr. Weili Xu, PhD of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues write that their findings offer one more reason to believe that diet and lifestyle are critical for avoiding dementia later in life."
Yet nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. That’s a ticking time bomb for disaster.
Keith Scott-Mumby MD, MB ChB, PhD is the author of several books, including “Diet Wise” and “Virtual Medicine”. He’s British by birth but now resides in California.
Learn more at www.alternative-doctor.com.
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Comments
Mr. Jorma Takala
I must disagree with this.
In America there has been a cycle of DNA damage and damaging effects to the fragile chemistry of the human brain.
I ended a 44 yr old bipolar manic disorder without the help of any doctors, or medications and I accomplished this by changing my diet alone.
I do not consume and margarine, or artificial food additives of any kind.
The margarine, being only one molecule away from being full fledged plastic is bad enough, but when you add the petroleum and wood based coal tar derived food colors, flavors and the preservatives BHA, BHT and TBHQ (used in almost all pepperoni and some childrens cereals) This is a formula for disaster.
Citing first the fact that artificial colors, invented in 1857 by William Perkin, approved by the FDA in 1906 for human consumption and in 1938 in the FD&C act.
Remembering that Red No.2 was banned in 1976 because it definitively caused cancer in laboratory test animals.
Citing also Dr. Tsuda, in the NIH PubMed database, reference number PMID: 11294979
Dr. Tsuda concluded that Red dye No.40 causes DNA damage.
Provided that he is correct that means American have been suffering that same DNA damage for over 100 years. Passing that DNA damage from one generation to the next.
And combined with my ending a bipolar manic disorder and taking control of my Aspergers Syndrome, or High Functioning Autism.
I believe there is much more to what I found than meets the eye.
In my article entitled The story of how I discovered the cause of Autism,(yet to be approved for this site) I have a detailed hypothetis as to just how the birth defect of Autism occurs! Along with several other ailments that share the same cause as Autism.
Including the increasing number of suicides among the returning military men and women, to diabetes and the obesity epidemic in America today!
Thank you
JJ Takala
Mr. Jorma Takala
Sorry, I wanted to add that you are on the right track with regard to the diabetes, but my article and hypothesis adds to this article!
Anonymous
I appreciate this article and the comments by Mr. Takala. It inspires me to remain diligent in eliminating contaminants in my family's diet, and teaching my children "why" certain foods are harmful.
Mr. Jorma Takala
I am still waiting for my story of how I discovered the cause of autism to be approved but it looks like that wont happen, I posted that story in the blogs section on my myspace page www.myspace.com.coaltardye
Ultimately what it says there is my detailed hypothesis is that Margarine is the cause and I explain how it works.
Also other autism spectrum disorders which are not birth defects, like my aspergers syndrome and others like tourettes, add, adhd and more are caused by the aritificial dyes, flavors and the preservatives used in almost all pepperoni, BHA, BHT and TBHQ.
Initially my behavioral problems which started when I was three yrs old began when I consumed red dye #2 in Koolaid which we all grew up on for many years.
Anyone born prior to 1976 consumed red dye #2, which is known to caused cancer.
Many who consumed that dye who were born before the 60s has already died from cancers in their digestive tract.
Colon, rectum, prostate, intestines and other parts.
www.red40.com was made by a man who suffered from IBS, and I too ended that same problem when I changed my diet to avoid all artificial food additives and margarine. That ste has alot of information on products to avoid because they contain red 40.
Keep in mind all the other colors and red 40 are made from the same substance as red dye #2 and are only different in the level, or scale of their toxicity.
All of this is the basis of my article entitled The story of how I discovered the cause of autism.
Does anyone know how to contact th editor of this site?
Why is my article not posted yet?
Is there something wrong with it?
American diabetes diet
This is a great writing. There's a lot of information in this article.Is it really true that Alzheimer is the type 3 of diabetes?
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