Spring Break
Exercise good for diabetes
- Page 1 of 1
|
In a recent study done by the New York University School of Medicine, scientists found that exercise helps human memory. By improving physical health, one can improve their his or her ability to alleviate memory loss.
Initially, the New York group, led by researcher Dr. Antonio Convit, believed that human cerebral capability degenerated as the body grew older. After the research was completed however, they concluded that there are many triggers in the human body that can remedy this seemingly inevitable occurrence.
Cardiovascular exercise that's done over a longer period of time will tend to reduce the amount of tissue a human loses as they age. The tissue includes brain tissue, and losing less of it may mean storing more memories.
According to CNN.com, the study was conducted by taking the MRI (Magnetic Resource Imaging) scans of people aged 55 or older. They found that there was a dramatic difference in the tissue cells of the brain. The people that were not obese, and fitter, had brain tissue that was in better shape than the elderly who were not as physically fit.
The fitter person, scientists realized, correlated to the amount of blood sugar in the body. Therefore, the lower the blood sugar count, the higher the capability of retaining memory in the human. Along with the MRI scan, the adults all received glucose intravenously. The NY School measured how quickly the sugar moved to the tissue, an indication of their glucose tolerance. Then they tested the subjects' ability to perform different cognition tests.
"The brain depends upon a steady supply of glucose for proper function. Unlike muscle or liver, which contain stored energy reserves in the form of glycogen, the brain has no such stores," said Dr. Horner, a biology professor at Hopkins.
Those with the lowest scores on the mental tests had the lowest glucose tolerance. They also had a smaller hippocampus, a key area in the brain for learning and recent memory, such as remembering the time the person left for work that day. A possible explanation of this, according to the researchers, is the inability of the hippocampus to absorb sufficient glucose for fuel may eventually damage it.
Although there is no exact correlation with the data, high blood sugar and high amounts of body fat does contribute to how well the body works as a whole. The fact that memory is now also affected by less than par health conditions suggests the importance in maintaining a fitter body.
Diabetes is the most common ailment that results in high blood sugar. Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise play a significant role.
"There is a correlation between obesity and diabetes, and a correlation between lack of exercise and obesity. Perhaps exercise limits obesity, which in turn keeps the risk of diabetes low and the proper control of blood glucose in operation," commented Dr. Horner.
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 16 million people between the ages of 40 and 74 in the United States have a pre-diabetic condition of high blood sugar, and approximately 17 million people in the United States, or 6.2 percent of the population, have diabetes.
Scientists urge that people in any age group should be tested for the disease by taking a glucose test at a nearby clinic. Maintaining a healthy body is also a proper precautionary measure to take, and the combination of annual check-ups and exercise can essentially lead to a longer, more vivid life.