{"id":5395,"date":"2021-06-23T08:30:55","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T06:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kompetenz-statt-demenz.dsgip.de\/?p=5395"},"modified":"2021-06-22T10:34:10","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T08:34:10","slug":"galactose-as-a-therapeutic-sugar-alternative-for-alzheimers-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kompetenz-statt-demenz.dsgip.de\/en\/galactose-as-a-therapeutic-sugar-alternative-for-alzheimers-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Galactose as a therapeutic sugar alternative for Alzheimer’s dementia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been known for quite some time that a disturbance in blood glucose and insulin metabolism plays a central role not only in diabetes, but also in Alzheimer’s disease. When insulin, which is important for glucose utilization, can no longer work properly due to missing or damaged insulin receptors,\u00a0the so-called insulin resistance\u00a0occurs.\u00a0This also applies to the brain, where it is called cerebral insulin resistance. If this occurs, our central nervous system may experience an energy deficiency despite high glucose levels in the blood. The resulting starvation state of the brain gradually leads to\u00a0the\u00a0cessation\u00a0of its specific functions and the death of brain cells, which is particularly noticeable in the impairment of memory. Therefore, maintaining or restoring the energy metabolism of the brain is of crucial importance, especially at the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And it is precisely at this point that the sister molecule of glucose could now come into play: galactose.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

D-galactose<\/span><\/i>, also known as mucilage sugar, is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that is rarely found in food in its free form. As a rule, galactose is bound to other (sugar) molecules; for example,\u00a0when bound\u00a0to glucose\u00a0(dextrose), forms\u00a0the disaccharide\u00a0<\/span>lactose<\/span><\/i>\u00a0(milk sugar). As a component of lactose\u00a0or\u00a0of\u00a0more complex\u00a0oligosaccarides\u00a0(sugar structures consisting of several simple sugars), D-galactose is predominantly found in milk and milk products from mammals.\u00a0D-galactose is also present in plant foods such as legumes as a component of (mostly indigestible) oligosaccharides, although hydrolytic processes during soaking or\u00a0cooking beans\u00a0can result in the release of D-galactose in\u00a0levels up\u00a0to 180 mg\/100 g dry weight\u00a0in canned\u00a0beans.<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Breast milk is considered unique in terms of its sugar content: it contains 55 – 70 g\/l lactose and 5.0 – 8.0 g\/l oligosaccharides. The latter are present in over 100 different forms, with D-galactose as the main component.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the human organism, galactose occurs as a building block of oligo- and polysaccharides in various mucous membranes, from which the\u00a0common\u00a0<\/span>name<\/span>\u00a0is derived. Bound to proteins and fats, galactose is an important building block of plasma membranes that protectively coat our cells. Galactose is particularly important for human development as a source of energy, but also as a structural element.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So\u00a0how could an insulin disorder be circumvented by galactose?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One possible application of D-galactose could be in the treatment of cerebral insulin resistance, when cellular energy supply by glucose can no longer occur because of damage to the insulin receptor. The energy crisis in the brain could be avoided by ingesting D-galactose, since D-galactose can enter brain cells in an insulin-independent manner.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u00a0has been successfully demonstrated in an animal model\u00a0study: For this purpose, the animals were experimentally put into insulin resistance by chemically blocking the insulin receptors. The brains are then no longer sufficiently supplied with the essential energy substrate glucose. Neurodegenerative changes occur and the animals measurably lose their memory capacity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All the more\u00a0impressive was the fact that the addition of D-galactose to the drinking water not only remedied the cellular energy deficit, but also significantly improved the cognitive performance of the test animals. In contrast, comparison animals that drank pure water soon could not find their way to the food bowl. These effects were explained by the compensation of energy deficiency in the brain. In addition, D-galactose also stimulated the formation of a biomolecule called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which in turn increases cerebral insulin levels, but also has its own neuroprotective effects in the brain.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It now seems somewhat confusing that galactose is used in other experiments in healthy animals as a model substance for aging experiments. For this purpose, D-galactose is administered to the animals daily in high doses for several weeks parenterally, i.e., bypassing the gastrointestinal tract such as by infusion. This leads to neurodegeneration (simulating natural aging) and impaired neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which can thus be used as an experimental aging model.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can these contradictory results of galactose effects be explained?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n