Good Blood Glucose Control Is Your Ally Against Alzheimer's

If you have type 2 diabetes and don't control your blood sugar, you may be putting more than your heart, eyes, and kidneys at risk--you may be putting your brain at risk, too. People with diabetes are one and a half times more likely than those without diabetes to develop cognitive impairment, or trouble with memory and thinking, including Alzheimer's disease.

Studying Blood Sugar and the Brain

Two recent studies back up previous evidence that diabetes can alter brain function. In one study, reported in Neuropsychology, adults with diabetes performed significantly worse than those without diabetes on two tests of mental processing. In the other study, reported in Diabetes Care, adults with diabetes who had higher blood glucose levels--as compared to those with diabetes who controlled their levels--performed worse on tasks that required memory, speed, and the ability to focus without being distracted by various stimuli.

It's not exactly clear how blood sugar levels might affect mental function. It may be that higher blood sugar levels cause cognitive impairment. Other factors might be involved, too. For instance, having a lower-than-normal response to insulin might increase your blood sugar and impair brain processes.

Take Care of Yourself

While researchers continue to study the relationship between diabetes and brain function, one thing is clear: Patients who manage their diabetes well are more likely to prevent the long-term complications linked with diabetes, which may include poorer brain function.

If you have diabetes, here are tried-and-true tips for taking care of yourself:

• Know your condition. Talk with your doctor to be sure you understand what diabetes is, how it affects your body, and what you can do to keep it under control.
• Monitor your glucose level every day. For most people, the target blood glucose level before eating is between 70 and 130 mg/dL. One to two hours after the start of a meal, it's less than 180 mg/dL. If you're not sure what your target levels are, check with your doctor.
• Follow a diabetes meal plan. If you don't have one, talk with your doctor about getting one.
• Get physical activity on most days of the week. Aim to move a total of at least 30 minutes a day.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your doctor what healthy means for you.
• See your doctor at least twice a year. Request the A1c test, which shows the average amount of glucose in your blood over the past two to three months.
• Talk about cognitive function. Tell your doctor if you or your loved ones have any concerns about your mental processing.