New research from the University of Liverpool suggests that sharp rises in blood sugar after meals may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
These findings offer new insight into how the body’s handling of sugar—especially after eating—could affect long-term brain health.
Scientists have known for some time that health conditions like high blood sugar, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance are linked to a greater chance of cognitive decline and dementia. However, the exact reasons behind this connection have been unclear.
To dig deeper, the Liverpool research team analyzed health and genetic data from over 350,000 people in the UK Biobank, a large research project involving adults between the ages of 40 and 69.
The researchers studied several key markers related to how the body controls blood sugar, including fasting glucose, insulin levels, and blood sugar levels measured two hours after a meal.
They used a scientific method called Mendelian randomization, which looks at genetic variations to understand whether certain health traits might directly cause diseases like Alzheimer’s. This method helps remove confusion caused by other factors like lifestyle or environment, making the results more reliable.
The results showed something important: people who had higher blood sugar spikes after meals had a 69% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This condition, called postprandial hyperglycemia, stood out as a strong factor, even more than fasting blood sugar or insulin levels.
What’s especially interesting is that this link to Alzheimer’s did not appear to be caused by obvious damage in the brain, such as brain shrinkage or white matter damage. That means the effect may come from other, more hidden biological changes triggered by blood sugar surges. Scientists still don’t fully understand how these changes work.
Dr. Andrew Mason, the lead author of the study, explained that these findings could help guide future efforts to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. He said the study highlights the need to manage blood sugar levels, not just in general, but especially after eating.
Senior author Dr. Vicky Garfield added that more research is needed to confirm the results and explore the biology behind them. She said future studies should look at other populations and ethnic backgrounds to see if the same link is found elsewhere.
If the connection holds true, it could lead to new strategies for reducing dementia risk in people with diabetes or other blood sugar-related conditions.
This study is another piece of growing evidence that what happens in our bodies after meals may have a long-term impact on brain health. It points to a need for better awareness and possibly new guidelines focused on keeping post-meal blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about the protective power of dietary antioxidants against Alzheimer’s, and eating habits linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms, and Vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
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