Unhealthy food, consumed in excess, can cause Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

The study was published in a new paper published in American Journal of Clinical Nutritionbeing edited by several researchers from Rocky Mountain VA Medical Center in Colorado, University of Colorado, Boston University, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Miami and the National Cardiology Institute of Mexico.

Researchers believe that one of the main causes of chronic neurodegenerative disease is fructose, an organic compound with the crude formula C₆H₁₂O₆, belonging to the class of saccharides that are found in moderate amounts in fruits and vegetables, but in excessive amounts in processed foods and sweets, according to MarketWatch.

Sugar and corn syrup contained exaggerated fructose and glucose, above the normal limit that fruits containing fiber and vitamin C have, and researchers claim that when a person consumes too much fructose, his body is tricked into constantly feeling full. hunger.

It’s the kind of seasonal famine that happened in Middle Miocenewhen the ancestors of modern humans were actually threatened with extinction due to the drought that led to the mass disappearance of tropical forests in Africa and the reduction of food sources.

Processed foods and sweets trigger a “survival mechanism”causing reactions of various parts of the body designed to make a person prepare for a hunger above all else, constantly having an increased appetite for food with a large amount of carbohydrates.

The body also redirects energy to the parts of the brain needed to survive a pending famine, such as those good for food, and as a result, other parts of the brain receive less energy than they need.

„[Boala Alzheimer] it results from a non-adaptation to an evolutionary survival pathway that is used by many animals and that was even essential to the survival of our distant ancestors millions of years ago”claim the researchers.

In one experiment, laboratory guinea pig rats that were injected with fructose in large quantity have developed protein value and amyloid plaques in the brain, causing them symptoms specific to dementia.

Another study, published by The National Newssuggest that people who consume ultra-processed foods and drinks high in sugar, fat and salt may have a higher risk of developing dementia.

The number of people living with dementia in the European Union is estimated at 7,853,705.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older adults, and an estimated 6.5 million Americans are living with this neurodegenerative condition, making it the fifth leading cause of death for adults over age 65 and the seventh leading cause of death. death for all adults.

The researchers argued that switching to a healthier diet could add a decade to the average life expectancy of a young person in the West.