To Your Health
February, 2018 (Vol. 12, Issue 02) |
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Your Brain Hates High Blood Sugar
By Editorial Staff
When people think about high blood sugar, they often think about the risk, especially if blood sugar is elevated in chronic fashion, of diabetes. But that isn't the only potential health consequence associated with high blood sugar. According to recent research, your brain doesn't function well in the presence of high blood sugar, either.
Researchers evaluated the association between glucose levels in the bloodstream and cognitive decline in more than 5,000 men and women ages 66 and older. Over time, subjects with high blood sugar scored lower on memory and executive function as blood sugar levels increased. The study, published in the journal Diabetologia, assessed blood glucose levels using the HbA1c marker, which measures blood sugar levels over weeks and months, rather than just a matter of hours.
Your body constantly uses glucose for energy, but if it's unable to remove it effectively from the bloodstream, chronic high blood sugar results. Blood sugar elevates whenever we eat, which is why they are generally lowest first thing in the morning, before breakfast. Learn more about healthy and unhealthy blood sugar levels by talking to your doctor.
