04 Nov Are There Three Types of Diabetes?
Special Article by Dr. Melenie Dunn
At Prolean Wellness, we have the pleasure of helping people to drop the excess weight but what our clients are really doing is recovering their health. A very common condition we encounter is diabetes. You are probably aware of the most common manifestations of diabetes. They can include increased inflammation, potential damage to the eyes and kidneys, increased risk of heart disease, nerve damage and pancreatic failure…. But did you know that diabetes can affect the brain?
Type 3 Diabetes (Alzheimer’s Disease)
The most recent and advanced research on the subject of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) will commonly refer to it as “Type 3 Diabetes.” To be clear, not everyone who has diabetes will develop AD, and not everyone who develops AD has diabetes in their history. However, the fact is that diabetes correlates with a 10 to 15x increased risk of developing AD.
Too Much Insulin Starves Cells
Both diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease share a condition of hyperinsulinism. Due to a chronic over-consumption of starches and sugars, and the resulting over-production of insulin in response, the cells of the body develop a resistance to insulin. Insulin is the hormone which carries glucose and other nutrients into the cell. That is how cells eat. When there is a resistance to insulin, the cells have difficultly with getting sufficient glucose and nutrients. The same is true for neurons, or brain cells.
The Brain Needs Glucose Or It Will Starve
The brain uses 20-25% of the body’s total glucose and oxygen. When hyperinsulinism limits the food supply to the neurons, neural function is compromised. The brain is less able to eliminate wastes. One of those wastes is beta-amyloid protein. This substance is actually secreted by all neurons and is meant to protect the brain under stressed and inflammatory circumstances. However, when these beta-amyloids can’t be drained properly, they build up in the brain. This build-up blocks synapses, choking the neurons’ ability to be fed and eliminate waste. Eventually, these neurons starve and die.
The brain is actually equipped to deal with beta-amyloid waste. Insulin Degrading Enzyme (IDE) breaks down beta-amyloids, but they also break down insulin. IDE actually prefers to work on insulin. And so, if there is an abundance, or over-abundance, of insulin, then IDE will ignore the beta-amyloids in favor of insulin. These beta-amyloids are able to continue their interference, including the inhibition of mitochondrial activity, which is how cells produce their own energy.
Look Better and Improve Your Quality of Life
Our clients come in just wanting to drop a few pounds, feel more attractive and comfortable in their own skin. But they are accomplishing so much more than they realize. They are giving themselves the best chance of maintaining an excellent quality of life for as long as they live.
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