Diabetes is a condition that involves high blood sugar levels, known by the name hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia happens when the body isn’t able to respond or make insulin. The pancreas makes the hormone insulin in order to regulate your blood glucose.
Due to the lowered production of insulin or insulin resistance, blood glucose levels stay high. You should know that memory loss is a totally normal phenomenon of aging.
There is a difference between memory loss which occurs due to complicated memory changes by AD or Alzheimer’s disease or due to age, and other degenerative diseases.
Severe Symptoms of Memory Loss
- Inability to follow directions
- Forgetting words while speaking
- Getting lost while driving or walking
- Repeating the same words or questions
- Having sudden mood changes
The symptoms above-mentioned point to the possible development of dementia. In case you have any of these symptoms, it’s vital to see a doctor.
You should know that the most common form of dementia is AD. But according to studies high blood glucose levels are connected with memory loss.
How Can Diabetes Influence Memory Loss?
Memory loss in diabetes might be a short-term issue due to too high or too low blood sugar levels. For instance, during hyperglycemia, you might have difficulties remembering words.
This doesn’t necessarily have to be a sign of a long-term issue. In case memory issues occur more than once and this notably impacts your life, you should immediately consult your doctor.
As a matter of fact, diabetes might increase the risk of obtaining long-term memory issues in case the blood sugar levels are less well controlled.
High blood sugar levels, over many years, might damage the nerves, such as those in the brain which can additionally raise the risk of dementia. According to research good management of diabetes might prevent memory issues from advancing or developing.
Study on This Topic
According to a German study, even people who don’t have diabetes are more likely to have memory issues in case they have high blood glucose levels.
This study included 141 participants with an average age of 63. In fact, none of these people had pre-diabetes or diabetes. Moreover, people who already experienced memory issues, people who had more than 3 drinks on a daily basis or overweight people were not part of this study.
The researchers did is that they tested the blood sugar levels and memory skills of the participants. In addition, they did brain scans on the participants in order to measure the hippocampus and its size.
Hippocampus is part of the brain that has a vital role in memory.
The Results of the Study
Participants who had low blood glucose levels had better scores on their memory tests. Moreover, they had more significant volumes in their hippocampus. The participants are also doing a word recall test.
They had to recall one list of 15 minutes, half an hour after hearing these words. The participants performed better in times when they had low blood glucose levels.
According to Agnes Flöel, M.D., the study author, based on the obtained results even for people who have a normal range of blood sugar, lowering their blood glucose levels might be a promising strategy for preventing cognitive decline and memory issues as these people age.
Some strategies for increasing physical activity and lowering calorie intake need to be tested.
Tips to Prevent or Limit Memory Loss
Try to include more omega-3 fatty acids in your regular diet. This acid might help you prevent cognitive decline and improve the health of your heart.
Try to follow a wholesome diet that will be based on lean meats, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Moreover, you should try to limit the intake of foods high in fat. This is a typical “Mediterranean diet.”
As a matter of fact, this specific diet had been linked to a lower chance of chronic degenerative diseases like AD.
Remember to consult your doctor before using any supplements. Also, you should talk about any possible interactions with other drugs you might be taking. Bear in mind; that prevention is the key.
