Data that shows that preventing Type 2 diabetes decreases the risk for dementia keeps getting stronger. A 2021 study found that the younger you are when diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the greater the risk of dementia. For folks age 70 and older without diabetes, the rate of dementia is about 9 out of every 1,000 people -- less than 1%. But for folks who are diagnosed with Type 2 at age 60, the rate skyrockets to around 18 out of every 1,000 people -- doubling the risk. And it keeps going up the earlier you develop diabetes.
Another study in JAMA Neurology looked at 20 years of data on 253,000 people aged 50 and older. It found that people with an A1C of 9% to 10%, at least half the time were three times more likely to develop dementia. In contrast, people who had more than half their readings at 8%, 7% or 6% did remarkably better at dodging dementia.
Or to look at it as I do, the longer you avoid Type 2 diabetes by using stress management, physical activity, healthy nutritional choices, and the other stuff we coach you on at LongevityPlaybook.com, the longer you'll have normal brain function.
So, enjoy 300 minutes of physical activity weekly; get quality sleep; avoid highly processed and sugar-added foods; adopt stress management; and cultivate a network of caring friends. And to reinforce control of your glucose levels, ask your doctor about medication options, including the newest ones -- GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors. Now, that's using your brain power!
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email [email protected].
King Features Syndicate