Diabetes: Your brain’ll have to bear the brunt of your elevated sugar levels

Diabetes can make you dumb. Keep your blood sugar levels in check to keep your mind sharp.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: December 3, 2019 3:49 pm

Suffering from high blood sugar levels? Take care of your brain. © Shutterstock.

Turns out that diabetes can speed up your cognitive decline as you age. A study conducted by scientists from Imperial College, London, published in Diabetologia studied the rate of cognitive decline in more than 5,000 people over the age of 50. It was a 10-year-long study. The findings suggest that people’s performance in cognitive tests decline as they age. But speed of worsening performance was higher in study participants with diabetes than those with normal blood sugar levels. The research also revealed that high blood glucose level was associated with performance in tests that required cognitive skills, even if the subjects weren’t diagnosed with diabetes. However, the research didn’t look at the type of diabetes the research volunteers had. Also Read - Regular afternoon nap can keep your brain sharp - Reality or myth?

So, if you have been suffering from diabetes for a while, it is better to take care of yourself before it makes you dumb. No, we are not kidding; diabetes can make your brain die a slow death leaving you in a dishevelled condition. Worse it could also be the reason for dementia later on or make you a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some early symptoms of diabetes. Also Read - Beware! Obesity can lead to severe brain pressure disorder

How diabetes affects your brain

People suffering from the condition either have low production of insulin (diabetes type I) or the insulin isn’t used the right way to help in the dissemination of glucose throughout the body (diabetes type II). In both the cases, the brain is affected due to the glucose level. Just like every other part of the body the brain needs glucose to function properly. So when glucose, one of the main sources of fuel for the body is not utilised by the cells of the body (either due to low insulin production or inability to utilise the hormone) the brain functions are at stake. Here are seven home remedies to help boost brain power. Also Read - Genes linked to common brain disorder, Chiari 1 malformation, identified

What goes wrong in the brain

Elevated glucose levels rapidly increase amyloid beta, a key component of brain plaques that leads to nerve cell death. This increases the risk of dementia or even chances of Alzheimer’s diseases. Beta-amyloid plaques, which build up in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease, have also been shown to prevent insulin receptors in the brain from doing their job. This can brain cells to become insensitive to insulin. Studies also show that prolong suffering from diabetes can also decrease the grey matter (responsible for your intelligence) in your brain. Here are five health conditions that could lead to depression.

What you can do

Things you do to keep your blood sugar levels in check will also help you to keep your brain young and healthy.

Keep your blood sugar levels in check

This is essential not only to manage your condition but also to save your brain from becoming its victim. Exercise, diet and medications need to be your lifeline and to slip from your routine can cost you your memory and life. Here are 10 ways to control diabetes naturally.

Give your brain a boost

If you are suffering from diabetes it is even more necessary that you exercise your brain to keep your grey cells alive. This means to do some simple neurobics (aerobics for the brain). Here are 10 ways to keep your brain young.

Try yoga and meditation

Apart from your regular medication, yoga and meditation can work as an alternative and complementary method to keep your sugar levels at a check and help your brain deal with the condition better. Here are 10 yoga poses to keep diabetes in control.

Go for counselling

Depression and prolonged diabetes sometimes go hand in hand. So if you notice any of the early symptoms of depression then get a check up done. Since depression is also related to the functions of the brain, treating it earlier can help prevent loss of brain function. Here are eight modern day symptoms of depression that you should know about. So be smart and work at keeping your brain smart and ticking!

Published : December 2, 2019 6:10 pm | Updated:December 3, 2019 3:49 pm

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