Type 2 diabetes is associated with a 60% increased risk of dementia — and the younger you develop Type 2 diabetes, the greater the risk. Around 18% of folks who’ve had diabetes for 10-plus years have dementia, while it’s 10% for those who have had it for fewer than five years. In contrast, only about 9% of folks without diabetes up to age 70 develop dementia.
So, it’s very welcome news that SGLT2 inhibitors, such as Farxiga, Jardiance, and Invokana, that are approved to treat Type 2 diabetes (as well as to reduce chronic kidney diseases and heart failure) also reduce the risk of dementia. And they do it better than DPP-4 inhibitors, such as Januvia, another Type 2 diabetes medication.
That’s the conclusion of a study published in The BMJ. Researchers found that taking an SGLT2 inhibitor reduced the risk of dementia by 35%, Alzheimer’s by 39% and vascular dementia by 53% compared to the DPP-4 inhibitor. And the longer it was taken, the greater the protection.
It may work by reducing the risk of heart disease, which directly impacts brain health, and by providing direct and indirect protection of neurons in the brain.
So, if you have Type 2 diabetes and want to protect your brain, ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking an SGLT2 inhibitor. Then, follow the advice on reversing Type 2 diabetes in Dr. Mike’s book “The Great Age Reboot” and check out Dr. Oz’s blog “The Impact of Lifestyle on Alzheimer’s Disease” at iHerb.com/blog.
