Tom Whipple Science Editor

The Times

Gerry Gajadharsingh writes:

 “This research provides more evidence on the sugar link to Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

People who consumed an extra two-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar a day had a 54 per cent higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s. Remember it’s not just added sugar that is the problem, as the researchers flag up below.

 Drinking a 250ml glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, cleverly marketed as no added sugar, will contain at least 5 teaspoons of sugar (4g of sugar is 1 teaspoon). All carbohydrates, fruit, vegetables and starch are broken down to glucose (sugar). The higher the sugar content of the food or drink the more it provokes an insulin response in the body, insulin tends to cause a cascade of reactions raising inflammatory cytokines. Many disease processes in the body are the consequence of inflammation.

 Alzheimer’s is sometimes called Type 3 diabetes for good reason. The key point is that we cannot function without carbohydrates, we just need to be aware that much of what we eat and drink (even if it is NOT processed) contains sugar in natural form. When possible choose foods and drinks that have a low glycaemic load and you’ll minimise your inflammatory response.”

 

An extra spoonful of sugar in a cup of tea could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, a study has found.

Consuming sugary drinks and food, whether sweetened by the manufacturer or by the consumer, was associated with a higher chance of developing dementia, according to the findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago.

Those consuming the equivalent of two-and-a-half teaspoons of added sugar a day were found to have a 54 per cent raised risk of developing Alzheimer’s, in the study of 2,200 people. The research could not confirm that one caused the other — it may be that a separate factor raises both the risk of getting Alzheimer’s and the tendency to sweeten food.

However, scientists said that the results tallied with previous work linking diabetes, which is associated with calorie intake, to dementia. Doug Brown, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “This study backs up this evidence, suggesting that excess sugar may increase our risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and all types of sugar — from fruit juice to lemonade — have the same impact.”

He said that it highlighted the importance of lifestyle changes in reducing the risk of dementia.