Middle-age Glucose Intolerance and Cognitive Decline

Glucose intolerance is used to describe health and metabolism conditions that result in higher blood sugar levels. Causes or associations you may have with higher-than-normal blood sugars include health conditions such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance. We sometimes may hear about these conditions from our primary care physicians, especially during the time of the pandemic, when physical activity has gone down significantly for a lot of people.

Although we hear about a lot of the complications and issues that may arise from our doctors, we sometimes may only stick to exercising and controlling our sugar intake a few days or weeks after a check-up. After all, taking care of our health isn’t a tangible sort of homework. Well, now there is perhaps another reason to make you motivated in preventing glucose intolerance in your life.

A recent 10-year population-based study published in Diabetes Care assessed data from over 900 middle-aged people and performed a follow-up test. Participants took a baseline memory and other cognitive tests 10 years prior and then again at the follow-up. The researchers found that those that reported heightened glucose intolerance at their middle age showed a reportable decline in memory performance 10 year later. This was especially the case for their episodic memory (episodic memory is also one of the first things affected in Alzheimer’s).

Convinced? If so, consider a lot of the things your doctor may have advised you already! Quit smoking, lose weight, consume alcohol in moderation, and change to a healthier diet.

Toppala, S., Ekblad, L. L., Viitanen, M., Rinne, J. O., & Jula, A. (2021, October 1). Oral glucose tolerance test predicts episodic memory decline: A 10-year population-based follow-up study. Diabetes Care. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/44/10/2435/138529/Oral-Glucose-Tolerance-Test-Predicts-Episodic