Low-Normal Blood Sugar May Aid Memory

Blood sugar at the lower end of the normal range may be best for protecting the brain, a new study suggests. The study included 141 older adults. Their average age was 63. None of them had diabetes or pre-diabetes (blood sugar levels that are above normal but below diabetes levels). The study did not include anyone who was overweight or had more than 3.5 alcoholic drinks daily. It also excluded anyone who had been diagnosed with memory and thinking problems. Researchers gave everyone memory tests and measured their blood sugar. Everyone also received a brain MRI scan. Although everyone had blood sugar in the normal range, those with lower levels did better on the memory tests. They also tended to have a larger hippocampus than those with slightly higher blood sugar. This area of the brain plays a major role in memory. The journal Neurology published the study.