High Sugar Diet And Neurological Problems In The Elderly

Eating a high sugar diet increases the risk of neurological problems, particularly among the elderly. Neurologic diseases and disorders involve the brain, spinal cord and nerves. They can adversely affect your movement, speaking, swallowing, breathing, learning, memory, senses and mood. These diseases include neuropathy, dementia, epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, Parkinson's disease and meningitis. Consult a doctor about the neurological problems that can affect the elderly and possible complications caused by a high sugar diet.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Eating a lot of sugar quickly increases your blood glucose levels, a condition called hyperglycemia. If you are diabetic or have insulin resistance, your body may be unable to adequately metabolize high blood glucose. Over time, high blood glucose can cause peripheral neuropathy, a neurological condition characterized by nerve damage, with symptoms that include numbness and pain in your hands and feet. Elderly people are more susceptible to peripheral neuropathy than younger people because of time it takes the disease to develop. Research by scientists at Baskent University in Ankara, Turkey, published in "Minerva Endocrinologica" in December 2008 reports a high prevalence of neuropathy in patients with high blood glucose.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease is a debilitating neurological illness that afflicts the elderly and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer's Disease is characterized by memory loss and inability to think and complete activities. Eating a high sugar diet can contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Increasing blood levels of insulin in response to high blood glucose increases brain levels of amyloid beta, a substance that induces Alzheimer's disease, according to research by scientists at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, published in "Current Alzheimer Research" in April 2007.

Stroke

A stroke is a frequently occurring neurological problem among the elderly and the third leading cause of death in the United States. A stroke is characterized by deprivation of oxygen and nutrients to the brain caused by an interruption in the blood supply or bursting of a blood vessel in the brain. Symptoms include numbness, difficulty seeing and walking, and severe headache. Eating large amounts of sugar can cause complications in stroke patients. Research by scientists at the Institute of Medical Sciences in Indore, India, published in the "Journal of Neuroscience Rural Practice" in January 2011 discovered high blood sugar increases the risk of poor outcome from a stroke.

Brain Tumors

Although glucose is the primary fuel for brain cells, elderly people who eat a high-sugar diet may increase the risk of brain cancer, a condition that can impair brain and neurological function. Over one-third of people diagnosed with brain cancer are 65 years and older. Symptoms of brain tumors include dizziness, double vision, difficulty with balance, abnormal pulse and breathing rates, severe changes in blood pressure, seizures and paralysis. Research by scientists at Coruna University Hospital in Coruna, Spain, published in the "International Journal of Endocrinology" in 2010 reports that cancer cells consume high volumes of sugar for growth.