Dr. Mercola March 23 2005 2,783 views
Most of us know that our pancreas produces insulin but researchers have recently learned that our brains also produce insulin. They have also discovered that this brain insulin and its growth factors are necessary for the survival of brain cells. It appears that a deficiency of this newly appreciated brain insulin may actually contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's Disease.
While it has been previously discovered that insulin resistance, a characteristic of diabetes, is associated with neurodegeneration, one study demonstrated strong evidence of the link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Additionally, through studying a genetic abnormality in rats that blocks insulin signals in the brain, scientists found insulin and IGF (insulin-like growth factor) I and II were expressed in neurons positioned in several locations in the brain. Researchers concluded that a decrease in insulin signaling in the brain contributes to the degeneration of brain cells--an early sign of Alzheimer's disease. These irregularities, however, do not relate to type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but serve as indicators of a different, more complex, disease process that stems from the central nervous system.
Postmortem Research
By looking at postmortem (collected after death) brain tissue in Alzheimer's patients, researchers discovered that growth factors were not produced at normal levels in the part of the brain responsible for memory--known as the hippocampus--causing cells in other parts of the brain to die.
Insulin and IGF I were greatly reduced in all the areas of the brain affected by the progression of Alzheimer's. Such areas include the frontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus. While scientists have suspected a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, this is the first study to provide evidence of that connection.
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease February 2005; 7(1): 45-61
Medical News Today March 7, 2005
A study I posted in 2004 estimated patients who suffer from diabetes may increase their chances of developing Alzheimer's disease by 65 percent. This is a serious issue, considering that one in five Americans, or well over 40 million Americans, have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Surprisingly, these researchers determined that a drop in insulin production in your brain contributes to the degeneration of your brain cells. They did not correlate these abnormalities with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but thought it was actually a different and more complex disease process that originates in your central nervous system and coined the term "type 3 diabetes," which is a term that is not yet adopted in the medical system.
These facts are surprising as normally low insulin levels are associated with improved health. However, the converse appears to be present in the brain. This does become somewhat of a moot issue as no one in the near future will be measuring brain insulin levels.
Fortunately, all we have to do is monitor simple fasting insulin levels to have a very sensitive marker of insulin resistance. Your fasting insulin level should clearly be below five. Levels above 10 are associated with insulin resistance and that is the very mechanism that will cause decreased insulin levels in your brain.
Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's Now!
Fortunately, there are many things you can now do to radically reduce your risk of Alzheimer's, and most of these don't involve expensive drugs or supplements. One of the most important things you can do is consume high-quality fish oil or cod liver oil so you can meet the optimal amount of omega-3 fats needed to achieve good health and fight Alzheimer's.
It is important to use a fish or cod liver oil that is tested by an independent lab and found to conform to the highest purity guidelines. This will ensure that the fats are free of mercury and other toxins. There are a number of excellent brands out there, but the one I have tested and personally use is Carlson's. You can find Carlson's at your local health food store; however if this is not an option for you, for your convenience we carry Carlson's fish and cod liver oil in our store.
Additional ways to prevent Alzheimer's include:
Eat a nutritious diet by increasing the amount of fresh vegetables, which are high in folate, and restrict grains and sugars.
Regular physical exercise is one of those things that can significantly improve many aspects of your physical and emotional health.
Avoid and remove mercury from your body.
Avoid aluminum.
Dr. Rosedale’s Comment (author of our most popular article on insulin physiology):
The report is a good reflection about the connection between insulin and Alzheimer's. I suspect that the science however is incomplete. Although low insulin levels in blood serum is correlated with much better health (provided it is low because it wants to be low not because it has to be low as in type 1 diabetics), it is because this normally indicates increased insulin action/insulin sensitivity. What appears to be shown in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease is very poor insulin action in critical areas of the brain.
In general one could say that insulin has two major actions; anabolic and energetic. It may be that in the brain the anabolic action of insulin is most important. In most nerve tissues glucose enters without being hindered by insulin. It may be that lack of insulin action, in addition to lowering anabolic activity in the nerves, may also result in increased intraneuronal glucose levels, resulting in greatly increased intracellular glycation which may initiate Alzheimer's.
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