If you don’t manage your blood sugar, your brain will age quickly… How can you stop aging?

a toothA research team at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden analyzed MRI scans of 31,229 people.
a toothIf blood sugar levels are not controlled, the rate of aging in the brain slows down.
a toothA healthy lifestyle suggests that it may reduce brain aging caused by diabetes

Research has shown that diabetes and pre-diabetes, known as major risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases, can accelerate brain aging. The results of this study (Diabetes, Prediabetes, and Brain Aging: The Role of Healthy Lifestyle) were published in ‘Diabetes Care’, the official journal of the American Diabetes Association.

Research results show that diabetes can accelerate brain aging Source: Midjourney
A research team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden analyzed data from 31,229 people aged 40 to 70 registered with UK Biobank. They performed two brain MRI scans to study how diabetes and pre-diabetes affect brain aging. In addition, we focused on whether healthy lifestyle habits can reduce this association.

According to the study, the brain age of diabetic patients was on average 2.3 years older than their actual age, and those with pre-diabetes were also about 0.5 years older. In particular, the worse the blood sugar level, the faster the brain ages, and the difference became greater over time.

However, the point to note here is healthy lifestyle habits. The researchers found that lifestyle habits such as high levels of physical activity, stopping smoking, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption can significantly reduce the negative effects of diabetes on the brain. In fact, the brain age of diabetic patients who practiced a healthy lifestyle was on average only 0.8 years older than their actual age, while the brain age of patients who maintained an unhealthy lifestyle was 2.5 years older.

Dr Abigail Dove, who led the study, said: “This study clearly shows the link between diabetes and brain aging, showing the importance of a healthy lifestyle not only in in managing the disease but also in maintaining brain health.” Dr. Dove also added, “These lifestyle changes may have more significant results, especially for men and people with high cardiometabolic risk factors. “

As a result, this study suggests that diabetic patients can maintain brain health and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as depression through a healthy lifestyle. This goes beyond simple sugar control and can be an essential strategy for protecting your brain and overall brain health.