Why Diabetes Causes Dementia: Important Facts for Type 2 Diabetics

For diabetics, stabilizing blood sugar has another added benefit: a reduced risk for dementia.

According to a 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Type-2 diabetics who experienced severe hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, without medical treatment increased their dementia risk by 26 percent. But having several episodes of hypoglycemia raises this risk by up to 160 percent.

Scientists aren't sure how diabetes causes dementia, but they do have some theories.

Why Diabetes Causes Dementia

Although scientists aren't sure why diabetics are a higher risk for dementia, they have two theories:

Cause #1: Small, undetectable strokes, which destroy brain cells. Diabetics who experience even one episode of serious hypoglycemia can lapse into unconsciousness or seizure, affecting their brain. This increases a diabetic's risk for experiencing small strokes, a leading cause of dementia in diabetics.

Cause #2: The destruction of brain cells, caused by diabetes medication. Diabetes medications that cause hypoglycemia may destroy brain cells, making them more vulnerable to dementia.

Both theories share one common factor-the destruction of irreplaceable brain cells. Blood glucose that drops to hypoglycemic levels, or 50 ml/dL, impairs the brain functions responsible for memory and attention. These are the same areas that degenerate once dementia develops. Scientists believe the brain cell loss caused by poorly managed diabetes can cause dementia, making blood sugar control essential for reducing this risk.

Diabetes Causes Dementia; Avoid Becoming a Statistic

If there's one thing to be learned from the study, it's this: Control your blood sugar. The participants who suffered the most damage managed their diabetes poorly, often going for hours without food. Other diabetics regularly ate foods rich in simple carbohydrates and sugars, causing unsafe spikes in blood glucose levels.

Remember, hypoglycemia is entirely preventable if you eat and exercise right. Even if you don't intend on losing weight, you still need to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet-this helps reduce sudden crashes in blood glucose.

So, how can diabetics reduce their risk for dementia?

- Eat several small meals a day. The National Institutes of Health recommends eating meals containing plenty of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and healthy fats. Avoid eating foods rich in "white" carbohydrates or sugar, which cause unsafe spikes in blood glucose. The key here is consuming food that slowly raises blood glucose, stabilizing blood sugar levels.

- Eat regularly and frequently. Going hours without food can cause sudden dips in blood sugar, causing hypoglycemia. Eat every couple of hours if possible, even if it's a small snack-it helps keep your blood glucose in the "safe" zone.

- Consume a small snack or drink if your blood glucose dips below 100mg/dL. This is considered the "low zone" for diabetics.

- If your blood glucose is lower than 50 mg/dL, seek medical help. This is usually considered hypoglycemic territory, and quick medical intervention can prevent it from getting worse.

Although diabetes causes dementia, it only causes it if the body goes through multiple episodes of hypoglycemia. Controlling your eating habits can help you avoid unnecessary episodes of hypoglycemia, preserving the brain cells you'll need later in life to stay active and healthy.

Sources:

Whitmer RA, Karter AJ, Yaffe K, Quesenberry CP Jr, Selby JV., "Hypoglycemic episodes and risk of dementia in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus." (nlm.nih.gov)
Unknown author, "Hypoglycemia" (nlm.nih.gov)