Bridget Moynahan

While the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 61.9 million people worldwide had diabetes in 2014, an estimated 200 million people are expected to have the disease by 2030.

More than 4 million people in the U.S. alone are estimated to have diabetes. This figure is projected to rise to 7.5 million by 2035.

Regardless of where you stand on the spectrum of obesity, you can’t deny that diabetes has become an epidemic.

The Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer’s

The two most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia (VAD).

While scientists still aren’t entirely sure what causes Alzheimer’s, they know it’s linked to diabetes. (2)

Alzheimer’s affects about 5 million people worldwide, and it’s the sixth leading cause of death. Patients experience memory loss and cognitive decline as well as a progressive decline in daily functioning. Alzheimer’s is usually a fatal disease. It was first recognized as a disease in the 20th century, and over 600,000 people die from it every year. (2)

In Alzheimer’s, toxic protein build-ups caused by diabetes trigger the disease. These proteins damage the neurons in the brain, which causes the memory losses and cognitive decline. (2)

However, not all cognitive decline is due to Alzheimer’s. About 15% of dementia cases are caused by other factors, like age, head injury, or other chronic diseases. (2)

How Can Diabetes Impact Your Dementia Risk?

Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that people with diabetes have double the risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who don’t have the disease. (3)

Similarly, people with type 1 diabetes have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s. So do people with gestational diabetes. (3)

In general, the earlier you develop diabetes, the higher your dementia risk. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s, you’re at a higher risk regardless of whether you have diabetes or not. (3)

What Forms Does Diabetes Take?

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. People with type 1 diabetes produce no insulin at all, whereas people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but not enough of it. (4)

The main symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the same: excessive thirst, headache, blurry vision, and fatigue. (4)

However, there are also differences between the two. Type 1 diabetes tends to appear earlier in life and is more often associated with adolescents and young adults. It’s also more common in people of European descent. (4, 5)

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults and people of African descent. Its main symptoms are similar to those of type 1 diabetes, but the frequency is much lower. (5)

Why Are Some Types of Diabetes More Dangerous Than Others?

The type of diabetes you have directly impacts your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you have type 2 diabetes, your risk of Alzheimer’s is about twice that of someone without the disease. (3)

Type 1 diabetes is also associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s. So is gestational diabetes. (3)

In general, the earlier you develop diabetes, the higher your risk of Alzheimer’s. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s, you’re at a higher risk regardless of whether you have diabetes or not. (3)

Diabetes is also associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. (6)

The longer you have diabetes, the greater your risk of developing complications. If you develop these complications, your quality of life can deteriorate considerably. (6)

How Do You Get Diabetes?

Anyone can get diabetes, regardless of their weight. The main risk factors for diabetes are having a family history of the disease, being of European descent, and being over 40 years of age. (7)

However, it’s still not entirely clear how exactly diabetes develops. Some people believe that if you have a family history of the disease, then your body begins producing the hormone insulin earlier than it would otherwise. (7)

Being over 40 years of age is another known risk factor for diabetes. After the age of 40, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels. (7)

Being of European descent also puts you at a higher risk of diabetes. People of European descent have a higher genetic risk of developing the disease than others. (7)

The Link Between Alzheimer’s and Depression

Depression and Alzheimer’s seem to go hand-in-hand. In fact, up to 40% of Alzheimer’s patients experience depression, and several studies show that treating both conditions simultaneously reduces the overall progression of the disease. (8)

In general, Alzheimer’s and depression are both common among the elderly. Both diseases are associated with an increased risk of suicide among patients. (8)

However, it isn’t just the elderly who suffer from Alzheimer’s and depression. More and more people are identifying the diseases as they age. (8)

The Differences Between Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia (VAD) is the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer’s. (9)

It’s caused by a brain injury, like a stroke or a heart attack. These injuries affect the blood vessels in the brain, which deprive the brain of vital oxygen and nutrients. (9)

These injuries cause changes in the brain, which in turn cause the memory loss and cognitive decline. VAD is more aggressive than Alzheimer’s, and it tends to affect the younger population. (9)

Alzheimer’s and VAD have a lot in common, but there are also differences. People with Alzheimer’s have larger brain clumps of amyloid proteins than people with VAD. (9, 10)

These clumps are also present in the brains of some people who don’t have Alzheimer’s but have Lewy bodies, which are similar in nature to Alzheimer’s. (10)

Are You at a Higher Risk of Developing Dementia?

The earlier you develop diabetes, the higher your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. If you have a family history of the disease, you’re at a higher risk regardless of whether you have diabetes or not. (3)

As you get older, your risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases. If you’re already at a high risk due to your family history or your age when you develop diabetes, then you’re at a higher risk regardless of whether you have diabetes or not. (3)

The earlier you develop diabetes, the higher your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you have a family history of the disease, you’re at a higher risk regardless of whether you have diabetes or not. (3)

Overall, diabetes impacts nearly every system in your body. If you have this disease, it’s important to take good care of yourself and be aware of the links between the two. (11)