An Alzheimer’s "Diabetes III" Breakthrough

Alzheimer’s is believed to be incurable and only possibly slowed down. Recent research strongly suggests otherwise. What Alzheimer’s and diabetes have in common is faulty glucose and insulin metabolism. This make Alzheimer’s primarily a dietary issue of glucose; appropriately it is called diabetes III by some researchers.

Abundant glucose from sugar and carbohydrates rapidly propels both diseases. Indeed some researchers have labeled Alzheimer’s “diabetes III”.

Proof positive of Alzheimer’s as distinguished from just senile dementia, is the appearance of amyloid plaque in the brain. It turns out amyloid forms a toxin that blocks insulin receptors. It is called ADDL (amyloid B-derived diffusible ligand”).

Insulin is not only important to the utilization of glucose but also in neurotransmission. (More about that later.)

Alzheimer’s is characterized by both low insulin levels and insulin resistance in brain cells. This is in contrast to diabetes II which is excessive blood glucose and excessive insulin due to generalized cellular insulin resistance.

In other words the insulin cannot unlock the pathway through the cell to allow glucose inside. There is plenty of insulin but it cannot function (because of cellular resistance) in its role of glucose supply inside the cells. Without cellular receptivity to insulin the glucose from sugar and carbohydrates does not get proper metabolism into energy.

Dr. Zina Kroner (DO) has published an excellent article on the relationship of Alzheimer’s and “diabetes III”. It is well documented with scientific studies and was published in Alternative Medicine Review, Vol. 14, #4 (2009)

There are three major ways that disrupted glucose metabolism and poor insulin function appear to play in Alzheimer’s disease.

1. Toxic blockage of insulin receptors

2. Interference with acetylcholine

3. AGE’s and their oxidation

Let’s explore each of these three contributors to Alzheimer’s.

1. Toxic Blockage of Insulin Receptors

Suzanne de la Monte, MD, MPH and colleagues at Brown University Medical School found in their examination of 45 post mortem brain tissues, an 80% decrease in the number of insulin receptors. The significance of this is it produces insulin resistant brain cells. Glucose metabolism is a primary source of energy for virtually all cells in your body. Fats and protein can be converted, but glucose from sugar and carbohydrates is the quickest and easiest source.

Glucose cannot be properly metabolized without insulin because it cannot get inside the cells to be converted into cellular energy.

2. Interference with Acetylcholine

Acetylcholine is important to neurologic function and neurotransmission. Memory and cognitive decline result from its deficiency. It was found to be suboptimal by researchers at Brown University Medical School. Apparently insufficient cellular insulin prevents the expression of choline transferase…an enzyme necessary for acetylcholine production.

3. AGE’s and Oxidation

AGE’s are Advanced Glycation End products. These are a binding together of glucose and protein. In any case they render the protein worthless. It is well established that excess blood glucose facilitates this harmful marriage of glucose and a protein. Depending upon the tissue location, they can cause cellular damage to any protein elements in your body…eyes, kidneys, skin, muscle, etc. When AGE’s become oxidized they are even more destructive by causing free radical damage and inflammation. They are appropriately labeled RAGE’s.

The RAGE’s are found associated with the neurofibrillary tangles ( the amyloid plaque characteristic of Alzheimer’s). These AGE’s compound and exaggerate the Alzheimer’s disease; they causes blockage of neural function and neural transmission of messages. They contaminate the synaptic junctions where messages are re-directed and this result in memory loss and cognitive decline. What then is the “breakthrough” for Alzheimer’s?

An alternate source of energy appears to be the answer to stopping and maybe even reversing the progression of Alzheimer’s. Understanding the physiology and pathology of Alzheimer’s is important. It seems clear one solution is an alternative source of metabolism which by-passes the insulin and glucose problem. Dr. Mary Newport, (M.D.) may have uncovered the answer.

Dr. Newport has a husband with Alzheimer’s. She found feeding him 2 tablespoons of coconut oil daily significantly improved his Alzheimer’s in cognition and memory recall. Coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride that is more easily metabolized into energy than the typical triglycerides.

Other studies have also shown promise for medium chain triglycerides as an excellent source of energy in lieu of carbohydrates that yield glucose. Less glucose in the blood means less need for insulin. Less insulin in the blood means less insulin cellular resistance. Without excess glucose and excess insulin in the blood a whole host of problems are eliminated.