New Study Finds That A Blood Test For Diabetes Might Actually Predict Alzheimer's Progression
A new study suggests a simple blood test could tell who is at higher risk for rapid cognitive decline with Alzheimer's.
The study found that people with higher insulin resistance were up to four times more likely to have rapid cognitive decline.
Here's what to know about the test and how to get one.
Historically, it has been quite difficult for doctors to predict how fast patients will experience cognitive decline with Alzheimer's disease, especially since the neurodegenerative disease impacts people differently based on a slew of factors. But new research has discovered that a specific blood test may help doctors get more answers, which could, in theory, help them respond more quickly with appropriate treatment and providing patients with more information. (But of course, experts first need to gather more data and perform further studies on the test.)
The test measures insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, a hormone that helps escort blood sugar into cells for energy. The latest study finds a link between insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease progression, helping doctors and patients glean more information about what may be in store. Here's what the study found, plus what neurologists want you to know.
Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University.
The study, which was presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025, analyzed health records of 315 people without diabetes who had cognitive deficits. Of those, 200 had confirmed cases of Alzheimer's disease.
All of the patients had their insulin resistance checked using something called the Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index, a way to check insulin resistance, based on fasting triglyceride (a type of fat in the blood) and blood sugar levels, at the start of the study and three years later. The researchers discovered that patients in the mild cognitive impairment group with higher TyG levels had their cognitive health deteriorate a lot faster than those who were lower on the TyG index. Ultimately, the researchers found that people with higher TyG levels were up to four times more likely to have rapid cognitive decline compared to those who were lower on the scale.
For starters, this type of blood test isn't actually new. We're just discovering new ways it can be used. The TyG index is already used to look for insulin resistance in people, so technically, you could get this test now if your doctor thought that it was medically appropriate. Just know that it's usually used in the context of diabetes or when your doctor suspects you might have diabetes.
The test appears to be pretty accurate in predicting rapid mental decline. The researchers found that people with high TyG ended up losing more than 2.5 points on the Mini Mental State Examination per year, which is a standardized test used to look at cognitive function in older adults.
In Alzheimer's disease, insulin resistance is thought to interfere with how the brain uses glucose (blood sugar). It's also believed to promote the build-up of amyloid, or proteins deposits in the brain that are linked with Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, insulin resistance can disrupt the blood-brain barrier and fuel inflammation in the brain. All of these are linked with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.
'Insulin resistance often reflects features of overall health," says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University, pointing out that a major contributor to insulin resistance is higher bodyweight. 'If the overall health of the body is not optimal, then the brain will not be well supported and can be less resilient.'
But the link between insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease is still being explored, says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. So, while it's clear that it seems to play some role, it's hard to tell what it's specifically doing as it relates to brain health.
Your doctor can order one of these tests for you. However, neurologists say there are better options right now if you're concerned about Alzheimer's disease development and are looking for answers.
'Some tests that are more specific for Alzheimer's are serum amyloid and tau levels,' Dr. Sachdev sys. 'Tests that help predict risk for the anti-amyloid therapies used in Alzheimer's is the APO-E genotype. These studies are useful today in understand risk of dementia, type of dementia, and risk of treatment.'
Dr. Segil says that doctors are 'extremely cautious' about using blood tests like TyG to determine if someone is at risk for developing dementia in the first place. 'There remains an extremely high number of false positive results in patients receiving various blood tests being marketed to determine if you are at risk for getting dementia,' he says. However, this specific study is exploring the test to see how quickly someone who already has cognitive decline will progress—and that usage is still being explored.
All of this doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't get a TyG test. Just know that your doctor is more likely to use it while checking you for early signs of diabetes versus Alzheimer's disease right now.
You Might Also Like
Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream
These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
A woman was told she had Alzheimer's 13 years ago. Now she's walking the width of the U.S. after reversing her illness
Judy Benjamin was only 67 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the devastating disease her mother and several uncles all suffered from. The symptoms started slowly; a forgotten phone number, trouble reading the newspaper. But Benjamin soon found reason to panic after a brain scan showed damage and amyloid plaque build-up — hallmarks of Alzheimer's, the progressive neurodegenerative disorder that typically affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Now 81, Benjamin is in the midst of an epic cross-country walk to prove to herself, and others, that reversal of Alzheimer's symptoms is possible thanks to a specific, science-backed protocol — and she's living proof. Having started her journey April 5 in San Diego, her hopes to make it to Saint Augustine, Florida, by October 5. She's being accompanied by a support team, and a film crew shooting footage for a documentary. This week she celebrated hitting 1,000 miles. 'I've been really thrilled with the people I've met along the way,' Benjamin told The Independent . 'Everyone knows someone with Alzheimer's and they're very interested in my story because I reversed my cognitive decline by radically changing my life.' Getting to this point took a series of small steps and big ones as Benjamin navigated her diagnosis. Her symptoms started shortly after her own mother died of the disease 20 years after her initial diagnosis. "I was working overseas and started to get really worried because I couldn't remember things — even my own phone number or locker combination," she recalled to Fox News Digital. "I got lost driving, when I'm always really good about direction." Scans of Benjamin's brain showed lots of amyloid plaque — proteins that, when built up on the brain, can result in nerve cell death — and damage to the right and left parietal areas of her brain. Located behind the brain's frontal lobe, the parietal lobe helps with location awareness and processes your sense of touch, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "I knew that it was going downhill really quickly, and I was extremely depressed and distressed about that,' she said. In an attempt to chart a new path forward, Benjamin met with Dr. Dale Bredesen at a friend's urging. Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and the Chief Science Officer of Apollo Health, had been developing a protocol to reverse the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's but had yet to test it on a patient. He's long been a believer that Alzheimer's isn't just preventable — it's reversible, too. So, Benjamin seeking treatment at the time Bredesen was looking for a 'patient zero' was kismet. Brededsen recalled Benjamin taking 'copious notes' during her first appointment due to her poor memory. He had Benjamin follow his ReCODE (for 'reversal of cognitive decline') protocol, which included changes to Benjamin's diet and exercise routine, as well as making adjustments to her sleep habits and starting meditation. As Bredesen explained to The Independent about ReCODE: 'The bottom line is that it is a personalized, precision medicine protocol that addresses the drivers specific to each person (so it is based on each person's lab results), and these drivers are in three major groups —energetics (blood flow, oxygenation, etc.), inflammation (from any of many different causes), and toxicity (inorganics, organics, and biotoxins) — and three lesser groups — trophic support (hormones, nutrients, and growth factors), neurotransmitters (such as acetylcholine, which is needed for memory), and stress.' Bredesen noted, too, that despite published documentation of the ways in which cognitive decline can be reversed, the vast majority of people remain unaware that it is often possible. Treatment is also more likely to be effective if started early on. He's documented his research in several books, including The End of Alzheimer's and The Ageless Brain. Together, the pair have worked to maintain her progress. She's become a brain health coach and a yoga instructor, and, as Bredesen described her, 'a survivor of cognitive decline, and a remarkable role model for anyone interested in healthy aging.' 'Very very few people are capable of walking 3000 miles, from coast to coast. But to have someone doing it who is 81 years old, and has reversed her cognitive decline after a diagnosis of early Alzheimer's in 2012, is truly historic,' Bredesen told The Independent. 'She is doing something that I could not do, nor could most of the people I know. She is truly an inspiration.' Still, Benjamin's message is simple — offering the hope that cognitive decline can be prevented and reversed. 'That is really the purpose of my journey,' she told The Independent. 'And also to show that you can be 81 years old and walk all this way one step at a time.'
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
A woman was told she had Alzheimer's 13 years ago. Now she's walking the width of the U.S. after reversing her illness
Judy Benjamin was only 67 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the devastating disease her mother and several uncles all suffered from. The symptoms started slowly; a forgotten phone number, trouble reading the newspaper. But Benjamin soon found reason to panic after a brain scan showed damage and amyloid plaque build-up — hallmarks of Alzheimer's, the progressive neurodegenerative disorder that typically affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Now 81, Benjamin is in the midst of an epic cross-country walk to prove to herself, and others, that reversal of Alzheimer's symptoms is possible thanks to a specific, science-backed protocol — and she's living proof. Having started her journey April 5 in San Diego, her hopes to make it to Saint Augustine, Florida, by October 5. She's being accompanied by a support team, and a film crew shooting footage for a documentary. This week she celebrated hitting 1,000 miles. 'I've been really thrilled with the people I've met along the way,' Benjamin told The Independent . 'Everyone knows someone with Alzheimer's and they're very interested in my story because I reversed my cognitive decline by radically changing my life.' Getting to this point took a series of small steps and big ones as Benjamin navigated her diagnosis. Her symptoms started shortly after her own mother died of the disease 20 years after her initial diagnosis. "I was working overseas and started to get really worried because I couldn't remember things — even my own phone number or locker combination," she recalled to Fox News Digital. "I got lost driving, when I'm always really good about direction." Scans of Benjamin's brain showed lots of amyloid plaque — proteins that, when built up on the brain, can result in nerve cell death — and damage to the right and left parietal areas of her brain. Located behind the brain's frontal lobe, the parietal lobe helps with location awareness and processes your sense of touch, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "I knew that it was going downhill really quickly, and I was extremely depressed and distressed about that,' she said. In an attempt to chart a new path forward, Benjamin met with Dr. Dale Bredesen at a friend's urging. Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and the Chief Science Officer of Apollo Health, had been developing a protocol to reverse the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's but had yet to test it on a patient. He's long been a believer that Alzheimer's isn't just preventable — it's reversible, too. So, Benjamin seeking treatment at the time Bredesen was looking for a 'patient zero' was kismet. Brededsen recalled Benjamin taking 'copious notes' during her first appointment due to her poor memory. He had Benjamin follow his ReCODE (for 'reversal of cognitive decline') protocol, which included changes to Benjamin's diet and exercise routine, as well as making adjustments to her sleep habits and starting meditation. As Bredesen explained to The Independent about ReCODE: 'The bottom line is that it is a personalized, precision medicine protocol that addresses the drivers specific to each person (so it is based on each person's lab results), and these drivers are in three major groups —energetics (blood flow, oxygenation, etc.), inflammation (from any of many different causes), and toxicity (inorganics, organics, and biotoxins) — and three lesser groups — trophic support (hormones, nutrients, and growth factors), neurotransmitters (such as acetylcholine, which is needed for memory), and stress.' Bredesen noted, too, that despite published documentation of the ways in which cognitive decline can be reversed, the vast majority of people remain unaware that it is often possible. Treatment is also more likely to be effective if started early on. He's documented his research in several books, including The End of Alzheimer's and The Ageless Brain. Together, the pair have worked to maintain her progress. She's become a brain health coach and a yoga instructor, and, as Bredesen described her, 'a survivor of cognitive decline, and a remarkable role model for anyone interested in healthy aging.' 'Very very few people are capable of walking 3000 miles, from coast to coast. But to have someone doing it who is 81 years old, and has reversed her cognitive decline after a diagnosis of early Alzheimer's in 2012, is truly historic,' Bredesen told The Independent. 'She is doing something that I could not do, nor could most of the people I know. She is truly an inspiration.' Still, Benjamin's message is simple — offering the hope that cognitive decline can be prevented and reversed. 'That is really the purpose of my journey,' she told The Independent. 'And also to show that you can be 81 years old and walk all this way one step at a time.'
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
This common kitchen herb ingredient could help target or slow Alzheimer's
Experts believe they've identified a chemical compound in certain herbs that could help mitigate or prevent Alzheimer's disease — but before anyone makes a run for the spice rack, there are a few catches. In a study published in the journal Antioxidants earlier this year, researchers from the Scripps Research Institute identified a compound called carnosic acid, which is prevalent in rosemary and sage. Advertisement The compound could prove therapeutic for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, the experts concluded. Carnosic acid contains 'striking antioxidant [and] anti-inflammatory properties,' the researchers wrote in the findings. Scripps Research postdoctoral associate Piu Banerjee and board-certified neurologist Dr. Stuart Lipton, based in California, spoke with Fox News Digital about the results. 'In this study, we observed that administering this drug to mice that had advanced Alzheimer's-like disease significantly improved the number of neurons, as well as the number of synapses or connections between the brain cells,' the team said. Advertisement 4 Experts believe they've identified a chemical compound, carnosic acid, in certain herbs like rosemary and sage that could help mitigate or prevent Alzheimer's disease. Brent Hofacker – The experts added, 'It also reduced inflammation that is caused by the current anti-amyloid antibody therapies. We also observed an improvement in the learning and memory behavior of the mice that received the drug.' Banerjee and Lipton also noted that carnosic acid is a 'prodrug,' meaning it's inactive at first — but once it enters the body, it's activated by oxidative and inflammatory stress. 'It specifically targets cells undergoing oxidative and inflammatory stress, without affecting the healthy, normal brain cells,' Banerjee said. Advertisement 'This further makes it a safe option for therapeutics.' The experts agreed that carnosic acid could potentially improve the inflammation that generally occurs in most aging brains. There are cautions, however. Advertisement Courtney Kloske, director of scientific engagement for the Chicago-based Alzheimer's Association, told Fox News Digital that studies based on a mouse model of Alzheimer's can be helpful but are not conclusive. 4 Experts say carnosic acid could improve inflammation occurring in most aging brains. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – 'Models are important in helping us understand the basic biology of the disease, but we need human studies in representative populations for ideas to be fully validated,' Kloske said. 'Therefore, while these are intriguing findings, more research is needed to understand the impacts and outcomes of these compounds on people living with, or at risk for, Alzheimer's.' Cooking sage and rosemary won't provide the full anti-inflammatory effects, Banerjee and Lipton stressed. 4 'We need human studies in representative populations for ideas to be fully validated,' Courtney Kloske, director of scientific engagement for the Chicago-based Alzheimer's Association, says about the limitations of the information. – 'Critically, one cannot take sufficient herbs safely to produce the same effect as our new drug,' Banerjee said. The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged. Advertisement Kloske advised that, at this point, 'no one should consume these herbs (or carnosic acid) to prevent or treat Alzheimer's or other cognitive impairment.' 4 According to Scripps Research postdoctoral associate Piu Banerjee and board-certified neurologist Dr. Stuart Lipton, cooking sage and rosemary won't provide the full anti-inflammatory effects. Ganna – Dr. Lee Murray, a neurologist in Jackson, Tennessee, echoed Kloske's concerns. 'Before patients start incorporating rosemary and sage in every dish they eat, we need to remember these studies are pre-clinical,' Murray told Fox News Digital. Advertisement 'Currently, there is insufficient clinical evidence to recommend rosemary and sage as a standard therapy for Alzheimer's dementia.' Murray, however, said the data 'is encouraging' and opens the door to additional pathways for potential therapeutics. Banerjee said she hopes that 'our drug will start human clinical trials soon.' She added, 'If it proves to be effective, it will be a great new drug for those suffering from Alzheimer's … From the results of our animal studies, we are cautiously optimistic for its success in human clinical trials.'
