Managing Diabetes May Lower Your Risk of Cognitive Decline or Alzheimer’s Disease

Taking care of your blood sugar and overall health can help you manage your diabetes while lowering common risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

Many of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are also well-known risk factors for other conditions, like heart disease. But lesser known — or understood by researchers, for that matter — is how some of the same risk factors for type 2 diabetes can affect your risk for Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of cognitive decline.

To be clear, having risk factors does not mean you’ll definitely develop conditions such as type 2 diabetes or Alzheimer’s. However, they make it more likely that you could eventually develop the condition than someone without these risk factors.

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What’s the link between diabetes and cognitive decline?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that involves insulin resistance and high blood sugar. Alzheimer’s disease involves cognitive decline and plaques in the brain.

On the surface, the two conditions don’t seem to have much in common. However, research suggests they share some common links and risk factors.

High A1C and cognitive decline

In a recent study, researchers found that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with elevated blood A1C levels and high blood sugar levels often had markers for cognitive decline.

They noted that the two conditions share insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Their findings support earlier studies on possible links between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. They also noted that race may play a role in the differences in how type 2 diabetes and blood sugar levels affect different people.

Could it be type 3 diabetes?

Recent research explored the connection between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. The researchers believe that Alzheimer’s disease may be “type 3 diabetes.”

The researchers used mice in their study. They found that a high fat diet overpowered a type of gut protein known as Janus kinase-3 (Jak3). This leads to widespread inflammation that can cause Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in the brain. But more research is needed.

Tips to lower your risk of cognitive decline

Through diet, blood sugar management, and other lifestyle changes, you may be able to reduce your risk of cognitive decline.

Diet

Diet plays a pretty important role in type 2 diabetes management. It often includes eating healthy foods, learning how different foods affect your blood sugar, and knowing how to read nutrition labels and what to order when eating outside your home.

Making the choice to eat a nutritious, balanced diet may help manage type 2 diabetes and lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Blood sugar management

Managing your blood sugar is an important part of living with type 2 diabetes. It usually includes:

• paying attention to what and when you eat
• getting exercise
• regularly checking blood sugar levels, especially after meals and when waking up
• seeing a doctor regularly for check-ups
• taking medication as prescribed

These steps may also help you reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

Other lifestyle changes

The National Institute on Aging suggests everyone can benefit from:

• taking care of any other physical health needs
• managing high blood pressure if you have it
• keeping your mind active through reading, hobbies, puzzles, games, or other meaningful activities
• staying connected with others through social activities
• managing stress
• taking steps to prevent head injuries
• reducing or stopping alcohol consumption
• quitting smoking if you smoke
• addressing sleep issues

These combined tips may reduce your risk of cognitive decline, but they may not prevent all cases of Alzheimer’s disease or general cognitive decline.

Takeaway

Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease share some common risk factors.

Lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and managing blood sugar levels, might help lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease while managing your type 2 diabetes.