even after it runs, you understand the importance of a basic
chemical concept: solubility. Amyloid is like oatmeal in the
brain. For it to be flushed, it requires that the protein stay
soluble, so that it can be dissolved in the cerebrospinal fluid
that pulsates throughout the brain. And what makes amyloid
as insoluble as dried-out oatmeal?
The deleterious effects of rising blood sugar know no
bounds. Sugar binds wantonly to nearby proteins, and
amyloid beta is no exception. When amyloid is glycated it
becomes stickier and less soluble, and thus less easily
chopped up and flushed away.^14 This may explain the
findings of a 2015 study, published in Alzheimer’s &
Dementia, which showed that the more severe the insulin
resistance in the body (signaling chronically elevated blood
sugar), the more plaque buildup there was in the brains of
cognitively normal subjects.^15 What’s even more surprising
is this association held up even among nondiabetic people—
meaning just slight insulin resistance is enough to increase
amyloid deposition.
The importance of well-regulated insulin signaling to
properly maintain the brain highlights the critical necessity
of balance between being fed and fasted. Our bodies are
adapted to carry out important maintenance tasks in each of
these states. We would find little argument that modern life
tilts the scales far toward the fed state, which appears to
increase brain plaque burden while also preventing
important fuels like ketones from reaching the brain. And
while amyloid hasn’t been established as the causative force
in dementia, we’re betting that you, like Dr. Paul and me,
want to do everything you can to make sure there’s less of it