Is insulin contributing to Alzheimer's disease? Have you heard the term “insulin resistance”? It is a human condition whereby excess insulin, over many years, creates changes that cause the body to be very resistant to the ability of the hormone insulin to control glucose. Sometimes referred to as Metabolic Syndrome and, also, as Pre-Diabetes. Unfortunately this disease is usually progressive, becoming worse over the years and forcing the body to produce higher and higher levels of insulin to try and make this hormone function as it should.
The impact of this progression is nasty as it can ultimately lead to Type-2 Diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, PCOS, ED and many other diseases.
As the organs in a body become resistant to the effects of excess insulin, another critical problem is silently occurring. The blood-brain barrier can also become insulin resistant meaning that it can deprive the brain of insulin. The brain uses glucose and/or ketones for energy and for most people, because of their carbohydrate dominant diet, their brain is using glucose all day every day
to function. For the glucose to get into brain cells, it requires an adequate supply of insulin because it is this hormone that enables the receptors in the brain cells to take up glucose.
You may be starting to see a problem developing here. As the level of insulin resistance in the body rises, the level of glucose which can be taken up by the brain is reduced. The brain can then suffer from regular energy shortages. Lack of energy to the brain is like a house suffering electrical brown outs. The normal functions of the brain start to be impacted by this energy shortage.
There is substantial evidence for this insulin shortage and resulting brain energy loss. Amyloid plaques begin to develop because the 'insulin degrading enzyme' which normally breaks down spent insulin molecules and clears away excess amyloid peptide, is not being stimulated by normal insulin levels. Tau, a brain housekeeping molecule, normally kept in check by insulin, begins to accumulate and form tangles. These amyloid plaques and tangles are hallmarks of an Alzheimer’s diseased brain.
For a person already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, research has shown some possible relief by adopting a ketogenic diet to provide alternative brain energy in the form of ketones. MCT oil and coconut oil supplements have also be successfully used for this.
Could you be at risk of Alzheimer’s disease? This progressive disease, once rare but expected to more than double by 2050, has been labeled Type-3 diabetes because of evidence of the relationship between the early onset of Type-2 diabetes and the eventual development of Alzheimer’s.
There are suggested changes, currently being researched, that you can make to your diet which may reduce your risk of developing this disease.
Suggested changes:
1. Dramatically reduce the sugar and carbohydrates in your diet;
2. Increase good dietary fats;
3. Replace vegetable (seed) oils with olive oil, coconut oil or animal based fats.
From www.takebackyrhealth.com . One-on-one or small group consulting available. Seek professional medical advice before making dietary changes, particularly if on medication. Questions are welcome.
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Good health, George Elder, Diet Research Reviewer, Diploma in Nutrition.
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