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High sugar intake is usually associated with diabetes and obesity, but the practice has other dangerous consequences. A study in the United Kingdom found that consuming high amounts of the compound is a "tipping point" for Alzheimer's disease. It disrupts a bodily process and actually encourages the disease to formulate.

The debilitating condition is characterized by problems in memory, behavior and thinking. The issues progress slowly but only worsen over time, resulting in difficulty in carrying out daily tasks.

Excess consumption of sweets damages a protein called MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor), an immune response that prevents the disease from developing. When MIF's activity encounters issues, there is no stopping the disease from progressing, according to researchers from the University of Bath.  

Fortunately, it is easy to have a low or moderate sugar intake as long as there is commitment in it. Avoid sweetened beverages (soda, energy drinks and fruit drinks) and desserts (cakes, pastries and candy bars) and indulge your sweet tooth by switching to healthier options such as a non-dairy milkshake made from fresh fruits.

Drinking more water and plain black coffee also helps in lowering excess consumption of the ingredient. Do not be fooled by "natural" sweeteners like honey and agave. These products are touted to have less amounts of the ingredient but they almost have the same amount of that as regular sugar.

The disease affects roughly 5.1 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. Though it usually affects old people, this disease is not a normal facet of aging. Others may not have it all.

Forgetfulness and memory loss are the factors that people first look at to detect early signs of the condition. However, there are other symptoms too that many may not expect but only family members can detect due to close proximity. One of those is apathy or lack of enthusiasm and concern, Prevention.com wrote.

People in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease may withdraw from people and activities that once made them happy. Experts believe that patients may want to limit their environment to situations or places that they are comfortable in such as their homes.

Another early sign of the disease is appearance and personal hygiene changes. This may be a result of apathy and feeling less concerned about how they look like.

Being forgetful can also push a patient to feel anxious, especially if they are in a new environment or a place that they aren't familiar with. Another early symptom of the disease is vision, hearing and smell changes. Doctors said that this may be a sensory processing issue that's caused by the back of the brain deteriorating quickly.