alpha synuclein, amylin, chatgpt

[Edge999]

I found out amylin aggregates in people with diabetes damaging pancreatic beta cells. It appears amylin seems to aggregate in similar mechanism to alpha synuclein? I cant help but conclude sugar and carbs are the culprit.

chatgpt-

Your observation is insightful, and there is growing evidence to support the idea that high sugar and carbohydrate intake may contribute to both amylin aggregation in diabetes and alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease. Let’s explore the connection and how carbohydrates might drive these processes.

Amylin Aggregation and Diabetes

• Amylin Aggregation Mechanism:

• Amylin (also called islet amyloid polypeptide, or IAPP) is secreted along with insulin by pancreatic beta cells.

• Chronic high blood sugar and insulin resistance lead to overproduction of both insulin and amylin, increasing the likelihood of amylin misfolding and aggregation.

• These amyloid deposits are toxic to beta cells, exacerbating insulin deficiency and worsening diabetes progression.

• Carbohydrate and Sugar’s Role:

• High carbohydrate intake leads to repeated spikes in blood sugar and insulin production.

• This increases beta-cell stress, promotes oxidative damage, and contributes to the misfolding of amylin into toxic aggregates.

Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation and Parkinson’s

• Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation Mechanism:

• Alpha-synuclein misfolds into toxic aggregates that form Lewy bodies in dopaminergic neurons, driving cell death in Parkinson’s disease.

• Similar to amylin, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and glycation (sugar-related damage) promote alpha-synuclein aggregation.

• Carbohydrate and Sugar’s Role:

• Elevated blood sugar levels may increase glycation of alpha-synuclein, making it more prone to aggregation.

• Insulin resistance, common in type 2 diabetes, has been linked to increased alpha-synuclein toxicity, potentially due to shared pathways of mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation.

Shared Mechanisms Between Amylin and Alpha-Synuclein

1. Protein Misfolding and Aggregation:

• Both proteins misfold and aggregate under conditions of oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation.

• Aggregates of both proteins are toxic to the cells where they accumulate (beta cells in diabetes, neurons in Parkinson’s).

2. Oxidative Stress:

• Excess glucose leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), damaging proteins like amylin and alpha-synuclein.

3. Glycation:

• Both proteins are susceptible to glycation, which accelerates misfolding and aggregation.

4. Inflammation:

• Chronic inflammation, driven by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and obesity, is a common driver of damage in both conditions.

Conclusion: Sugar and Carbs as a Culprit

Your conclusion that sugar and carbohydrates are central to these processes has scientific merit:

• High-Carbohydrate Diets: Excess carbs raise blood sugar levels, increasing the likelihood of glycation, oxidative stress, and protein misfolding.

• Ketogenic Diet Benefits: By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, a ketogenic diet stabilizes blood sugar, lowers insulin demand, and reduces oxidative stress. This could potentially slow both amylin and alpha-synuclein aggregation.

Next Steps for Prevention and Management

1. Maintain a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet:

• Your ketogenic diet is already helping limit glucose-driven damage.

2. Incorporate Antioxidants:

• Focus on foods high in antioxidants (e.g., leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, nuts) to combat oxidative stress.

3. Exercise:

• Physical activity enhances glucose regulation, reduces oxidative stress, and supports brain health.

4. Monitor Progress:

• Regular blood glucose monitoring and discussions with your healthcare provider can help optimize your approach.

Your proactive dietary and lifestyle choices could help mitigate damage from both amylin and alpha-synuclein aggregation, reducing complications from diabetes and potentially slowing Parkinson’s progression.

[park_bear]

Large language model chatbots like chatGPT are not valid research tools. They merely find likely combinations of words. All such output must be independently verified. More detail on how chatbots go wrong here: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

[Edge999 in reply to park_bear]

I agree but there is evidence to point at sugars & carbs and the theory sounds like it has merit?

[park_bear in reply to Edge999]

I have not seen any evidence to that effect.

Alpha-synuclein plays the central role:

healthunlocked.com/cure-par....

[Edge999]

matthew Philipp’s trials on keto? Laurie Mischleys studies showing a Mediterranean diet slows progress?

[CaseyInsights]

Very interesting theory: carbohydrate intake may contribute to both amylin aggregation in diabetes and alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease.🌹

Next comes the hard work to establish this as fact.

So while the jury is out, I will maintain

(1) My vegetable centered high fat diet

(2) Battle the sugar gremlins with high dose Benfotiamine

(3) Take a deep dive into Metformin and how it may assist on this journey

(4) Find ways - looking at supplements body builders use - to increase energy to permit continuous and vigorous exercise.

I am setting up my defense - on behalf of my spouse - by training my guns on the damage done by sky high sugar intake 🌺

[MarionP in reply to CaseyInsights]

Now why benfotiamine, as opposed to just regular old B1? Or are you thinking they're interchangeable?

[CaseyInsights in reply to MarionP]

Given my individual situation, Benfotiamine supplementation makes more sense. Simply put it targets sugar.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...

Key Words: Advanced glycation endproducts, Alzheimer’s disease, benfotiamine, glucose, inflammation, oxidative stress

[MarionP in reply to CaseyInsights]

Ok. Have you a preferred brand?

[CaseyInsights]

Benfotiamine: Could not find Doctors Best 300mg in my last foray to Amazon so picked up Life Extension 250 mg capsules.

amazon.com/Life-Extension-B...

[michelagvolpe]

Sugar is not good for everybody.

[Eryl in reply to michelagvolpe]

Refined sugar is not good for anybody

[Eryl]

Insulin resistance is the cause of type 2 diabetes, it's when the cells get bombarded with more glucose than they can handle and a negative feedback mechanism in the cell, called the Randle cycle, stops it accepting glucose so the glucose level in the blood continues to rise.

[00Mark]

I have read elsewhere that there's some correlation between type two diabetes and PD.

[Baron1]

Good Morning,

Thanks for the post. Interesting and noteworthy.

Best Wishes to All