Study ties higher blood sugar to dementia risk

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

Higher blood-sugar levels, even those well short of diabetes, seem to raise the risk of developing dementia, a major new study finds. Researchers say it suggests a novel way to try to prevent Alzheimer's disease - by keeping glucose at a healthy level.

Alzheimer's is by far the most common form of dementia and it's long been known that diabetes makes it more likely. The new study tracked blood sugar over time in all sorts of people - with and without diabetes - to see how it affects risk for the mind-robbing disease.

The results challenge current thinking by showing that it's not just the high glucose levels of diabetes that are a concern, said the study's leader, Dr. Paul Crane of the University of Washington in Seattle.

"It's a nice, clean pattern" - risk rises as blood sugar does, said Dallas Anderson, a scientist at the National Institute on Aging, the federal agency that paid for the study.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130807/DA81BO4O1.html

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This Jan. 3, 2009 file photo shows a person with diabetes testing his blood sugar level in Kamen, Germany. New research published in the Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013 New England Journal of Medicine suggests a possible way to help prevent Alzheimer's disease: Keeping blood sugar at a healthy level. A study found that higher glucose levels, even those well short of diabetes, seemed to raise the risk for dementia. (AP Photo/Joerg Sarbach, File)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. This is the kind of research worth paying attention to, as it is developed over time. nt

[Elmergantry]

2. I have type II

and cant remember shit anymore..

Now I know why...

[KittyWampus]

3. This means limiting carbs (especially grains) may help. And carbs are at the base of the American

food pyramid and standard american diet.

[RC]

4. The stuff at the base are the worse than sugar. Either eliminate or use sparingly.

Diet drinks and candy and sugar substitutes are not good for you either. Plain water works for thirst.

Use real butter. Use 2% milk. Regardless of what they are trying to sell, we all need some fat on our diet.
Green vegetables and exercise does wonders.

Oh, and the serving sizes? No one has ever explained that to me, so I understand. Professionals have tried and failed.

[lolly]

6. Always wondered what they were thinking

I remember when that first came out--what, 20 years ago?--and I thought "Who the hell eats 11 servings of cereal/bread/pasta in a day?"

Did they just pull that number out of a hat? Was there any theory behind why we needed almost a dozen servings of bread every day?

Okay, okay--it's 6-11--but isn't that range itself ridiculously useless? As Jon Stewart once said, "I'm somewhere between 5 and 10 feet tall."

[adirondacker]

7. I recently finished caretaking my mother for 7 years that suffered from vascular/mixed dementia

Although she had low blood pressure, normal sugar levels and was physically active, I think her overindulgence in sugary snacks and carbs may have contributed to her early onset.

I recently had blood tests that came back slightly high in tryglicerides. Needless to say I'm cutting way back on my consumption with what I thought were "healthy carbs". Fruits contain a lot of sugar as well.

It's pretty much a diet of vegetables and protein for me.

[JimDandy]

5. This needs a well deserved kick.

[blkmusclmachine]

8. .

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