Link between diabetes, depression, and dementia

The surprising link between diabetes, depression, and dementia

Did you know people with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s? And people with pre-diabetes are 35% more likely to develop dementia? These statistics both came from a study published last year in the journal Neurology. Another recent study found that diabetics are 52% more likely to be depressed.

That last figure might seem unrelated. But according to some new research, there may be a bigger connection between these three factors than anyone realized…

Researchers looked at data on nearly 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes. They found that patients who were also depressed had a higher rate of dementia.

Granted, that “higher rate” only turned out to be 2 percent. But among the diabetes patients who weren’t depressed, there were NO signs of dementia.

This is serious, folks. If you’re battling depression alongside your blood sugar issues, make sure you get treated. For both conditions. Your memory may depend on it.

Simple as it seems, vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for combating depression. I typically recommend at least 2,000 IU for my patients. But your particular needs may be different. So be sure to work with your doctor to determine the best plan for you.