Alzheimer's is really just 'type-3' diabetes, new research shows

Monday, August 06, 2012 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: Alzheimer's, type-3 diabetes, brain disease

(NaturalNews) Emerging research on the widespread degenerative brain disease known as Alzheimer's suggests that this prevalent form of dementia is actually a type of diabetes. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a recent study out of Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) confirms that Alzheimer's is marked by brain insulin resistance and corresponding inflammation, a condition that some researchers are now referring to as type-3 diabetes.

Dr. Suzanne de la Monte from RIH is the one responsible for making this fascinating connection, having found in her research that diabetes is closely associated with several key neuronal factors implicated in dementia. It turns out that Alzheimer's progresses as a result of the brain developing resistance to insulin, which in turn prevents proper lipid (fat) metabolism. Over time, these lipids build up in the brain rather than properly absorb, which results in increased stress and inflammation, as well as the symptoms commonly associated with dementia.

"This study points out that once AD (Alzheimer's Disease) is established, therapeutic efforts should target several different pathways -- not just one," says Dr. de la Monte. "The reason is that a positive feedback loop gets going, making AD progress. We have to break the vicious cycle. Restoring insulin responsiveness and insulin depletion will help, but we need to reduce brain stress and repair the metabolic problems that cause the brain to produce toxins."

Eating more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can help prevent, cure Alzheimer's

Since many elderly individuals that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels, the first logical step would be to stop taking these drugs. Not only have statins been shown to cause and exacerbate Alzheimer's, they have also been shown to cause diabetes. So taking them, as many elderly dementia patients do, runs contrary to common sense, and will only make the problem worse.

As we covered recently here at NaturalNews, the human body needs cholesterol in order to stay healthy. If your cholesterol levels are too high, or if cholesterol is clogging your arteries, it means that your body has an inflammation problem that is preventing the proper absorption and use of cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the problem, in other words -- your body's chronic inflammation is the problem. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

Consuming more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can not only help repair the inflammation problem that promotes the progression of Alzheimer's, but it can also increase the absorption of cholesterol in the brain, which in turn promotes healthy neuronal function. (http://www.naturalnews.com) Such advice runs contrary to the mainstream medical system's misguided philosophies about health, but science actually shows that the human body requires saturated fats and cholesterol, and that these fats are vital for maintaining optimal brain health.

"[W]hile it is positive to see studies like this help us understand some of the causes of Alzheimer's Disease, turning to drugs to treat these symptoms is heading in the wrong direction," says Health Impact News (HIN) about the RIH study. "Type-2 and type-3 diabetes is a lifestyle issue, and can be controlled or even prevented by dietary choices and avoiding too many drugs. There has also been tremendous success in controlling and eliminating diabetes through a low-carb and high-fat diet."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.rhodeislandhospital.org/wtn/Page.asp?PageID=WTN000249

http://healthimpactnews.com