Type 3 Diabetes

We have all heard of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but a lesser version not formally named needs an action plan to address it. You have heard me talk about inflammation, blood glucose dysregulation, and cognitive dysfunction due to issues affecting the brain. In today's article, I hope to tie all of these together and explain how their relationship can be a source of dementia and memory problems.

First, we need to talk about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is typically early-onset because it most often happens to people in their younger years. In Type 1, our bodies quit producing insulin Type 2 would be late-onset and occurs progressively over time, which happens when the insulin receptors become less sensitive to insulin.

That brings us to the topic of Type 3 diabetes, which was named by Suzanne de la Monte, MD, a professor of Pathology from Brown Medical School in 2005. She examined the brain tissue of deceased Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients and found the possible connection between AD to decreased insulin signaling. She called it Type 3 because it had characteristics of both Type 1 and Type 2, reduced production of insulin, and resistance to insulin receptors.

Several studies using insulin have demonstrated an improvement in cognition. Patients in the studies were able to retain more verbal information and overall improved memory.

Type 3 diabetes patients have both low insulin levels and insulin resistance in the central nervous system, making it different from Type 2 diabetes, which has high insulin and insulin resistance. Insulin helps to regulate the survival of neurons, energy metabolism, and plasticity, all processes necessary for learning and memory. When we have insulin resistance outside of the CNS, it will affect cognition in the brain. Lack of insulin also leads to degenerative processes in the brain, and excessively high insulin leads to amyloid plaquing in the brain.

Several years back, I wrote an article on AGEs or Advanced Glycation Endproducts and their effect on your body. AGEs occur when protein and excess sugar combine to form a bond, a byproduct of oxidative stress. The best examples of this in cooking are the caramelized sugar on top of a crème Brulee or bread crust. AGEs are a naturally occurring process that can lead to the irreversible formation of AGE, leading to tissue stiffening. What is the outcome of AGE in our skin and arteries? We get wrinkles and hardening of the arteries. 

Uncontrolled blood glucose will escalate the AGE process, leading to further complications, yet another reason to keep our blood glucose under control. The same concept can explain what is going on in your brain concerning blood glucose levels.

Information is power, and knowing that insulin resistance can contribute to cognitive decline should be a warning that bad things can happen if it is left unattended. Fortunately, we can influence our blood glucose positively, and when we do, it can help us lead the optimal lives we all want to live as we grow older. Here are some ways to decrease insulin resistance and help support our brains.

How do you halt the progression of diabetes? The core areas include diet, exercise, supplementation, and medication. The first two on the list are things you can do immediately, but unfortunately for many, they find these hard to do. Supplements can benefit this fight and augment a healthy diet and exercise. Medications help get you to the target BG level but don't address the underlying issues or fix the problem.

Let's begin with your body. Are you overweight? Do you have inflammation? I ask these questions because they are necessary to find out where you are at with your physical structure. Simply losing 10 lbs can reduce your risk of diabetes by 60%. Think about that for a minute and if you are faced with the onset of diabetes, losing 10 pounds seems a little more doable.

When considering dietary supplements, I like to start with Vitamin D.  This prohormone has excellent value in glucose control. Studies show that Vitamin D can act in the brain to decrease body weight, fat mass, and food intake, factors in blood glucose control. Still, it also improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, specifically at the level of the liver.

The second nutrient I recommend is omega-3 fatty acids. The brain comprises 70% fat, and 20% of the fat comes from DHA or docosahexaenoic acid, a form of Omega 3 fish oil. Knowing that statistic makes it essential that we consume good sources of Omega 3's in our diet; if we do not, we need to supplement with a quality Omega 3 fish oil. 

How do we know if we are getting enough fish oil in our diet? We test these levels. If we don't measure our Omega 3 status, we won't know if we are getting enough of the good fats in the appropriate ratios. This test is not one most providers will recommend, and many may not be aware that there is one available. The fantastic thing about testing is that It doesn't cost a great deal at $75, but it provides a wealth of information you can work into your overall health plan.

The research doesn't specifically indicate that omega-3 fatty acids help treat elevated blood glucose levels. Still, if we look at its effect on inflammation and know that diabetes is associated with increased weight and elevated CRP, both are indicators of inflammation. A 2000mg/day dose of EPA + DHA will get the job done. 

Magnesium supplementation can help to restore serum levels, improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients with decreased serum magnesium levels. The salt form I like best is magnesium glycinate, which is very well tolerated and highly absorbed. 

Here are some other nutrients and extracts that can be helpful with blood glucose. Biotin and the essential trace mineral chromium have clinical research to help in supporting blood glucose already in the normal range. Consider plant-based extracts for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels, fenugreek, berberine, bitter melon, green tea leaf, and Gymnema Sylvestre. All have undergone clinical studies showing positive effects in helping to maintain blood glucose levels in the normal range. 

Please stop in or call the pharmacy if you want further information on ways to help lower blood glucose and take care of your brain. Please visit my website at www.irsfeldpharmacy.com to find this and other archived articles in the blog section. Until next time, be vigilant about your health!