Many people say they have sweet tooth, and that it’s one reason they crave sugary stuff such as soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, packaged foods such as so-called fruit juices, etc.
Yet, a new study warns that people who eat diets high in sweet stuff could be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Simply put, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to generalised degeneration of the brain. It is the commonest cause of premature senility.
Researchers from the University of Bath in England have found that excess glucose causes damage to a particular enzyme that’s involved in the inflammation response to the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
While this confirms previous research showing that those with diabetes have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s, these researchers have now established that those who consume a lot of sugar but do not have diabetes are at an increased risk, too.
The scientists studied brain samples from people with and without Alzheimer’s disease, and found that in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, an enzyme called macrophage migration inhibitory (MIF) factor can be damaged by glycation, which happens with a higher consumption of sugar.
Glycation is a natural process in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins, forming harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The researchers found that as the disease develops, the glycation of these enzymes increases.
This shows that the enzyme, which should help to protect us from developing Alzheimer’s, is negatively affected by consuming too much sugar.
Lead researcher, Prof. Jean van de Elsen, explains, “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, this could be a tipping point that allows Alzheimer’s to develop.”
What this all means? Doctors have more information that could help them to predict and protect us from the development of Alzheimer’s.
It also means we have yet another reason to cut down on sugar. So, put down those biscuits and throw away that half-consumed soft drink!
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