Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Thu, 20 Feb 2003 12:00:01 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Making Memories MAKING MEMORIES Health Sciences Institute e-Alert February 20, 2003 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, The brain needs fuel to store and retrieve memories. This simple fact is at the heart of a new study that sheds light on the reason why many tend to experience a loss of memory as they grow older. But this aspect of aging shouldn't be casually accepted as a situation that everyone has to cope with. Because, as the study reveals, there are simple steps that most of us can take to avoid the deterioration of memory. ----------------------------- Glucose delivery ----------------------------- Most body tissues receive their energy from multiple sources. The brain, however, depends on blood sugar for almost all of its fuel. Knowing this, researchers at New York University (in association with the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research) designed a study to find out if there was a link between slightly elevated blood sugar levels (also known as glucose intolerance) and memory performance. Thirty subjects were recruited. All were in their 60s or early 70s, and none were diabetic, although some had levels of blood sugar that were higher than normal. The NYU team began by measuring the size of each subject's hippocampus (the unusual name for the brain region responsible for recent memory). Cognitive function was measured with a standardized test, while memory was determined with a series of tests that asked subjects to recall paragraphs of different lengths. Finally, glucose regulation was assessed after an overnight fast, using an intravenous glucose tolerance test. When the researchers analyzed the data, the subjects with glucose intolerance scored lower on the tests for recent memory compared to subjects with normal blood sugar levels. Furthermore, each of those with impaired glucose tolerance also had a smaller hippocampus. These results suggest that the delivery of glucose to the brain may have an effect on the function of the hippocampus, as well as its structure and size. The conclusion: Elevated blood sugar levels may be one of the primary causes of memory loss among the elderly. ----------------------------- Getting the cycle right ----------------------------- As we grow older, our cells gradually become resistant to insulin - the hormone that regulates blood sugar. This is one of the reasons why a higher than normal blood sugar level is a typical condition of aging. So if the brain needs blood sugar to operate, and if the levels are high, why would this create a memory problem? Because when the levels are elevated the flow of glucose from the blood to the tissues is impeded. Eventually (as the NYU study demonstrates), the reduced supply of glucose may cause the hippocampus to atrophy, which affects the memory and may contribute to more severe problems such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, there is a way to help your cells stay sensitive to insulin and more efficient in processing blood sugar. Two words: Diet and exercise. Okay, that's three words, but you get the idea. The exercising part is fairly simple - exercising increases blood flow to the tissues, which helps improve insulin sensitivity. As for diet, I don't have to tell you that the debate about what constitutes a proper diet is still raging. But in a well-known lecture about the metabolic effects of insulin, Ron Rosedale, M.D. (of the Colorado Center for Metabolic Medicine), presented the case for a diet that balances protein and carbohydrates, with this important note: carbohydrates with fiber (i.e.; broccoli and apples) help improve insulin sensitivity, while carbohydrates without sufficient fiber (i.e.; potatoes and highly processed bread) raise the blood sugar level. Like all of us, I'm certainly not getting any younger. So I'm on my way out now for a brisk walk to my local grocery for apples, oranges and apricots. ************************************************************** T...and another thing Two recent e-Alerts about the irradiation of beef and other food products ( " Don't Beam Me Up " 2/4/03, and " Radiation Nation " 2/10/03) produced an unusually wide range of reactions - with some members expressing their own concerns as well as their thanks, while others were quite angry that I would even suggest that irradiation might not be safe. Several members took exception to the fact that " Radiation Nation " referred to the source of gamma rays as " cobalt 80. " Apparently there is no such thing as cobalt 80. That should have read, " cobalt 60. " But this numerical error doesn't change the substance of the e-Alert. You can call it anything - call it " cobalt lite'n'easy " if you like - it doesn't alter the fact that studies have shown that irradiation may create potential dangers. Another member named Anne writes, " The higher radiation levels are intended to kill bacteria, etc. This is no accident. The levels however do not make the material 'radioactive' nor does it influence taste or nutritional value. " I agree that irradiation does not create radioactive food. But according to two FDA memorandums (in 1999 and 2000), irradiation destroys vitamins and essential fatty acids. I don't mean to pick on Anne (especially because her e-mail included a compliment), but she also stated that, " Research has concluded that the benefits from irradiation strongly outweighs any minimal risks. " I will agree that there are benefits to irradiation - apparently it kills bacteria better than anything out there. But portraying the risks as minimal is a judgment call. References from the journal " Radiation Physics and Chemistry, " The Fifth German Conference on Food Irradiation (both in 1998), and the 12th International Meeting on Radiation Processing (2001), conclude that irradiation disrupts the chemical composition of everything it touches, creating chemicals called " radiolytic products. " One of those chemicals has been shown to cause cancer in rats, and genetic damage in human cells. I admit that these studies don't provide absolute and conclusive proof that irradiated beef is a serious danger to humans. But that was the very point of the two e-Alerts: Irradiation of beef has been shown to be potentially dangerous, but no long-range studies have been conducted to determine the effects this beef may have on humans. So the question is: Why would we embrace this method before we're certain that it's safe? To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " Reduced Glucose Tolerance is Associated With Poor Memory Performance and Hippocampal Atrophy Among Normal Elderly " Proceedings of the Nation Academy of Sciences, 2/5/03 (epub ahead of print) " High Sugar Blood Levels Linked to Poor Memory " New York University Medical Center and School of Medicine, Scienceblog.com, 2/5/03 " Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects " Ron Rosedale, M.D. Lecture presented at Designs for Health Institute's Blouder- Fest, August 1999, mercola.com " The Top 10 Problems With Irradiated Food " Public Citizen, 2001 Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. 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