Diabetes – The Hidden Cause Of Alzheimer’s?

diabetes

In today’s society, diabetes is now so common that it’s rare for someone not to know a relative or friend who has it.  There are 30 million people living in the United States alone with diabetes.  2.3 million (roughly) in Canada.  It’s an epidemic health crisis to say the least.  But, before we get into a deep discussion let’s start with explaining exactly what diabetes is.

What Is Diabetes?

When we eat carbohydrates, most are broken down into simple sugars in our bodies.  Our cells then use these sugars for energy.  However, they are not able to get into our cells on their own.  They are shuttled there by insulin.  Ketones on the other hand can also produce energy without the assistance of insulin but we’ll get to that later.

There are two types of diabetes that people are generally aware of.  However, adults with diabetes could benefit from better treatment if the condition was categorized into the full five.

Type 1 Diabetes

This is the conclusion of a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. (1)

Type 1 diabetes is the body’s inability to create enough insulin.  The pancreas is responsible for creating insulin but can no longer do so sufficiently.  Type 1 is thought to be caused by genetics or viruses that early in life infect and break the pancreas’ ability to do its job of creating insulin.

People with type 1 diabetes need to inject themselves with insulin to match what the body would have created to process the sugars.  Because this is a tricky matching process, there is a danger of too much or too little insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is considered a lifestyle disease or an illness created by the standard American diet.  It is also termed insulin resistance.  Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to make enough insulin or use it makes properly.  Insulin is a hormone used by the body to control glucose levels (the amount of sugar in your blood).  Glucose is one of the main sources of fuel for the body.  Providing the body with the energy needed to perform all necessary functions. (2)

Sugar And Its Affects On Our Bodies

After many years of inappropriate levels of sugars in our diet, our pancreas isn’t able to function as it should.  It’s either no longer able to quickly match our bodies sugar intake and/or our body is no longer accepting the insulin that our pancreas is creating to shuttle sugars into our cells.  This leads to rising levels of unprocessed sugars in our blood stream.  Increasing damage excess sugar has on our bodies.  For further reading, click here to read, “These Food Additives are Linked to Cancer, Diabetes and Obesity”.

I could go into detail about what that excess sugar does to your body (one thing is it is stored as fat) but I want to get to the main reason for this article.  What excess sugar does to your brain!

Type 3 Diabetes

Type 3 diabetes is not a common term that people have heard of unless you read a lot about health.  It is however becoming more mainstream.

Type 3 diabetes is what excess sugar does to your brain’s ability to keep itself fueled.  It is like saying Type 2 diabetes but the brain edition.  Your brain’s ability to run requires that it be given constant energy.  Much like a car needs X litres of fuel per 100 KM.  That is unless you own a tesla / run your brain on ketones.

Your brain needs a steady source of energy.  For most of us, that is coming from carbohydrates (sugars).  However it would be great if we could use ketones …. Oops, getting ahead of myself ….

As we constantly expose our bodies to excessive simple carbohydrates and thus simple sugars our bodies begin to take notice.  It then creates a safety mechanisms to protect us from the excess damaging sugar.  One of these mechanisms to protect the brain is called the blood brain barrier.

Alzheimer's Disease OR Diabetes Of The Brain?

Internal Special Forces – Brain Security

Our brain is protected by our body and the blood brain barrier is like Brain Security (special forces level, not mall security).  This barrier only allows what it thinks is the most important nutrients, fats and energy sources into our brain cells (neurons, etc.)

As we constantly expose our bodies to excess sugars, our body’s resist the insulin/sugar energy source and we get Type 2 diabetes.  Our cells want energy but our body’s security “protects us” from the excess onslaught.  So much so that our cells are actually getting less energy than they need.

The excess sugar that is not allowed past is stored as fat.  So the more security turns away sugar, the more fat is stored.  The more the body needs energy, the more carbs we eat to give it that energy.  That cycle continues until we are fat and tired (and sick).

The brain’s security guard does the same thing.  It starts to turn away insulin/sugar because it is protecting the brain.  However, this security guard doesn’t care that the brain needs all that energy.  It is designed for short term protection, not constant protection.  Thus, the brain gets less energy than it needs to function properly.  It’s like putting your foot down on the gas pedal and your car starts to slow down.  The engine is not getting enough gas to keep your speed let alone speed up.

Health Issues & Risk Factors Of Diabetes

Researchers believe that Type 3 diabetes (Type 2 diabetes of the brain) plays a strong role or is responsible for mental health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia, and other brain illnesses.  Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and other types of dementia … (2)

We conclude that the term “type 3 diabetes” accurately reflects the fact that AD represents a form of diabetes that selectively involves the brain and has molecular and biochemical features that overlap with both type 1 diabetes mellitus and T2DM. (3)  Type 3 diabetes occurs when neurons in the brain become unable to respond to insulin, which is essential for basic tasks, including memory and learning. (4)

If your brain isn’t getting fueled properly, it only makes sense that it won’t run properly and that it will manifest itself in some noticeable way.  In the beginning it could be fatigue, brain fog or memory issues.  However, in the end it could become a serious mental health issue.

The Superior Solution For Sourced Energy

So, you are wondering, Keto Jack, when are you going to get to the Ketone part?  Ketones are the other superior source of energy that your body can use to fuel your cells and to fuel your brain.  Ketones can be derived from the breakdown of fat in your body which will occur only when levels of insulin is low enough.  Your body likes to concentrate on using one fuel at a time or they can be ingested.

A ketogenic diet is one way to generate ketones.  However, it’s a very hard way.  Intermittent fasting gives your body small windows of no sugar intake and therefore your body doesn’t need to produce insulin.  Rather, it can generate ketones from your fat.

Another way is to drink pure therapeutic ketones.  There are naturally fermented and bioidentical versions available that your body sees as no different than if you had burned fat and made ketones.  For a great keto recipe, click here to for a great keto brownie recipe!

The bottom line is that excess sugars in our diet is causing not only damage from the neck down, but just as importantly damaging our brains!  So, cut back and/or eliminate added sugars.  Eat whole foods!  Save your brain so that when you are older you can still remember the advice I just gave you.  Your children and grandchildren will really appreciate it when you remember their names…For further information, click here to read, “Keto Diet and Chiropractic – What Do They Have in Common?”


As always, if anything I have written resonates with you, leave a comment.  If you have any questions or would like more information about drinking ketones, making ketones or healthy eating, feel free to send me an email ([email protected])

I am here to serve! (I just won’t serve you dessert ? )

Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/therealketojack/ and Instagram @ketojack
Jack Lauzon, B.Sc. Honors Physics, Health Educator

Sources