Step away from the sugar. Why you may ask? Well, it can actually increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Although there have been many studies that have provided a link between elevated blood sugar in diabetics and their risk of cognitive decline, a new study has shown that you don’t need to be diabetic for this risk to affect you. This study really provides evidence to support that blood sugar not only provides us with a marker for dietary health but also provides us with a predictor on how are brains may cope with aging.
Researchers analyzed 5,189 participants (55% women with an average age of 66 years old), assessing their cognitive function over ten years. Researchers also investigate the participants HbA1C (measure of glucose control over time). Although all participants experienced some decline in cognition (based solely on normal aging), those with higher HgA1C levels experienced much more rapid decline than those with normal glucose levels. The researchers not only showed the link between Alzheimer’s and Diabetes but also between Alzheimer’s and anyone with elevated blood sugar. So next time you reach for that sweet treat, think about how it could be affecting not only your waist but now also your cognitive function.