As of 2020, 11% of Texans have been diagnosed with diabetes while 621,000 Texans are unaware they have it.
There are two types of diabetes, both of which affect how your body uses blood sugar (also called glucose). Left untreated, diabetes can cause long-term complications - including heart disease and chronic kidney disease. It can also affect your brain.
Your Brain and Diabetes
Your brain needs a great deal of energy to work properly; it actually uses about half of all the energy in your body. Since blood sugar fuels your body and brain, it’s important to maintain normal levels so you can function normally.
If you have diabetes and your blood sugar stays high for too long, it can damage the blood vessels in your brain. Over time, this can make it harder to think clearly, remember things and stay focused. These changes are similar to the way the brain ages naturally, but diabetes can make them happen faster.
How Diabetes Makes Your Brain Older
When there is too much sugar in your blood for a long time, your body can stop responding to insulin the way it should. This makes it harder for your brain to use sugar for energy. Eventually this can cause certain parts of the brain to shrink (brain atrophy), especially the ones that help with memory and thinking. For some, this can look like dementia.
"Diabetes is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's," says Dr. Ahmed Elsherif, an endocrinologist with University Health at the Texas Diabetes Institute.
Changes in Thinking and Memory
Having diabetes can damage small blood vessels in your brain, reducing blood flow and oxygen. When brain cells don’t get enough oxygen, they can become weaker.
Some of the common brain issues associated with diabetes include:
- Slower thinking
- Memory problems
- Difficulty with everyday tasks
Diabetes can also increase the risk of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, which in turn can affect how your brain works.
Early Stages of Diabetes and the Brain
You don’t need to be diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes to start having memory issues. Some studies suggest that even prediabetes, which is the condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to cause a diabetes diagnosis, could start impacting your brain health.
Diabetes-related damage to your brain can start years before you're diagnosed. In fact, many people may have diabetes for 3-5 years before they are officially diagnosed by their doctor. This means people may already be at risk for cognitive decline without realizing it.
How to Protect Your Brain
While the impact of diabetes on your brain happens gradually, there are ways you can slow it down or even prevent it from happening.
Healthy Habits
Creating healthy habits and living a healthy lifestyle is the first step to a healthier brain. They also make it easier to manage diabetes.
Here are four healthy habits you want to keep in mind:
- A balanced diet
- Regular exercise (at least 30 minutes a day)
- Good sleep (between 7-9 hours)
- Stress management
Chronic stress can raise blood sugar and increases inflammation. Incorporating relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing can be beneficial to your health.
Regular Check-ups
On top of incorporating healthy habits, you also want to include regular check-ups with your primary care physician. This way, you can monitor your blood sugar levels, manage other health conditions like high cholesterol and discuss any health changes that might be impacting your brain.
Early detection can make a significant difference with your overall health.
The Bottom Line
Diabetes doesn’t just affect your body; it impacts your brain, too. But with early detection, lifestyle changes and proper health care, you can take control of your health and protect your brain from premature aging.
Learn more about our world-class diabetes care at the Texas Diabetes Institute.
Community Resources
At University Health, we are taking steps to address community needs within Bexar County. This is why we are excited to offer resources for everyone, whether you receive care from us or not. Visit our Institute for Public Health for diabetes-related resources.
