Blood sugar & brain power

[IanD]

This link is a summary of articles on the topic: Nourish - Carbohydrates Fuel Your Brain.

I searched for the link "carbohydrate brain function" following a warning in the latest DUK-T2 Diet leaflet, discussed in the thread: DUK - Eating Well with T2 - DOH!!!!

Why is carbohydrate important?
All carbohydrate is converted into glucose and will have an
impact on blood glucose levels. Since this is the case, some people
with diabetes wonder if it would be better not to have any
carbohydrate in their diet to keep their glucose levels under
control. This is not recommended as:
• glucose from carbohydrate is essential to the body, especially the brain

A fair summary of all the papers cited indicates that high blood glucose causes brain malfunction, as in non-diabetics it triggers insulin release which reduces available glucose, while in diabetics it causes narrowing of the arteries & consequent brain damage.

The DUK message should be: control your blood sugar to as close to non-diabetic levels as possible. Reduced carbohydrate consumption is an excellent way to achieve this.
This will assist sustained brain function, & minimise diabetic complications.

A sugary snack or soft drink that quickly raises your blood sugar level gives you a boost (and any caffeine adds to the lift), but it's short-lived. When you eat something with a high sugar content your pancreas starts to secrete insulin. Insulin triggers cells throughout your body to pull the excess glucose out of your bloodstream and store it for later use.

Soon, the glucose available to your brain has dropped. Neurons, unable to store glucose, experience an energy crisis. Hours later, you feel spaced-out, weak, confused, and/or nervous. Your ability to focus and think suffers. The name for this glucose deficiency is hypoglycemia , and it can even lead to unconsciousness.

In diabetics high glucose levels accelerate Alzeimers:

Diabetics are more likely to suffer a decline in mental ability as they age, due to a narrowing of the arteries that can lead to tiny strokes and gradual brain damage.

Diabetics experience a decline in speed of processing information.

People with type 2 diabetes have a 9% increased risk of developing dementia – and Alzheimer's disease. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to depression than the general population.

 

[graham64]

It seems even slight elevations of BG can be a problem, all the more reason to watch for spikes.

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index. ... le&id=6406

Graham

 

[IanD]

This thread gives a significant report: