Excess sugar intake causes Alzheimer’s, says study
Posted on: 27/Feb/2017 5:38:58 PM
A study conducted by researchers from the University of Bath and King`s College London says that a diet high in sugar could lead to Alzheimer’s.
Say the researchers, This is the first concrete evidence to explain why abnormally high blood sugar levels, or hyperglycaemia, have an impact on cognitive function. Excess sugar is well known to be bad for us when it comes to diabetes and obesity, but this potential link with Alzheimer`s disease is yet another reason that we should be controlling our sugar intake in our diets.
Using brain samples of 30 patients with and without Alzheimer`s and tested them for protein glycation, a modification caused by high glucose levels in the blood. They found that in the early stages of Alzheimer`s glycation damages an enzyme called MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) which plays a role in immune response and insulin regulation.
Speaking about this, the researchers said, It appears that as Alzheimer`s progresses, glycation of these enzymes increases. We’ve shown that this enzyme is already modified by glucose in the brains of individuals at the early stages of Alzheimer`s disease. Normally MIF would be part of the immune response to the build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain, and we think that because sugar damage reduces some MIF functions and completely inhibits others that this could be a tipping point that allows Alzheimer`s to develop.
