Fructose & Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death. AD is characterized by a slow decline in memory and cognition, and proteins that build up in the brain.
Two simple sugars, glucose and fructose, provide fuel for our body and brain. Glucose provides immediate fuel and fructose is stored as fat and glycogen that can be used as fuel in the future.
Fructose activates a survival mechanism that prepares the body for a period of scarcity of food, which in turn causes thirst, hunger, craving, fat accumulation, and increased body weight, blood pressure, and insulin resistance. In animals, this process helps them survive hibernation and long-distance migration.
In humans, the fructose survival pathway is ignited when we consume high-fructose corn syrup (candy, soda, juice, baked goods, ice cream, condiments, and fast food), foods that are high sugar and salt, some umami foods (processed red meat, organ meats, shellfish, and beer), and alcohol. Stress also engages the fructose survival pathway when the fight-or-flight stress response causes glucose to be converted to fructose to provide the body with immediate energy to deal with a challenge. And the engagement of the fructose survival pathway, either from stress or from eating these unhealthy foods, causes a craving for the foods that keep it fired it up.
Although the brain represents only 2% of our body mass, it consumes 20% of our energy that is consumed in calories. Of this 20% of our calories, 70-80% is utilized by our brain cells.
Researchers theorize that the overactivation of the fructose survival pathway leads to brain cell degradation and death, which are features of AD. Prior research has shown that foods high in sugar, salt, processed meats, and alcohol increase the risk of developing AD. And people with AD have higher levels of fructose in their brains.
Takeaways
The Western diet is high in foods that initiate our fructose survival pathway, and the chronic stress of our school and work environments also engage this system. When this pathway is activated, we experience hunger and craving. Routine engagement of the fructose survival pathway causes fat accumulation, and increased body weight, blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
Consuming foods high in sugar and salt, processed meats, and alcohol cause a vicious cycle of craving for more of these same foods. Stress also increases our desire to consume these types of foods. And these foods increase our risk of developing AD.
Whole fruit does not activate the fructose survival pathway because:
It contains relatively low fructose content;
It also contains neutralizing factors: fiber, flavanols, potassium, and Vitamin C; and
The small intestine metabolizes some of this form of fructose before it reaches the liver and brain.
Minimizing stress and a diet rich in vegetables, whole fruit, and lean protein minimizes the risk of AD. If you can muster the willpower to limit the foods that engage the fructose survival pathway, your cravings for these foods should subside over time. Easier said than done, but worth the payoff of reducing your risk of AD.
Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix
Sources
Richard J. Johson, et al., Could Alzheimer’s Disease be a Maladaptation of an Evolutionary Survival Pathway Mediated by Intracerebral Fructose and Uric Acid Metabolism?, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 11, 2023, Could Alzheimer’s disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism? - ScienceDirect.
Jillian Kubala, 12 Common Foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Healthline, Aug 30, 2021, 12 Common Foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup (healthline.com).
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