There’s no end to the benefits exercise offers to your body.
In fact, research has already shown that regular exercise can beat back everything from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and cancer.
And we’ve revealed that exercise can even help you slow brain aging and reverse age-related brain shrinkage.
But it seems that when it comes to the power of staying active, the good news just keeps stacking up.
That’s because, thanks to researchers at the University of Bristol, we now know that exercise could be your most powerful ally in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
Here’s why…
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The benefits of exercise for your brain
The research, published in the journal Brain Research, focused on the hippocampus to determine just how much of an impact aerobic exercise can have on the key markers of Alzheimer’s.
The hippocampus is vital because it’s the region of your brain responsible for memory and learning.
Specifically, the scientists looked at whether or not exercise could reduce amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and iron accumulation in myelin-producing cells known as oligodendrocytes.
These are considered hallmarks of Alzheimer’s pathology.
Using mice, the researchers were able to determine that aerobic exercise resulted in:
- Significant reductions in tau tangles (around 63% with exercise)
- Less amyloid plaque (about 76% reduction in the exercise group)
- Lower iron accumulation (reduced by about 58% in the brains of exercising rodents)
- Improved brain cell health, including increased numbers of protective oligodendrocytes
- Reduced brain inflammation in the exercise group (between 55% and 68%)
- Decreased brain cell death
- Better communication between brain cells (a factor the scientists say restores critical balance in the brain’s function as it ages)
If those benefits aren’t enough to get us all up and moving, I don’t know what would!
In fact, when asked about the incredibly encouraging results of the research, Dr. Augusto Coppi, one of the study’s senior authors, had this to say:
“Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure, impacting millions worldwide. While physical exercise is known to reduce cognitive decline, the cellular mechanisms behind its neuroprotective effects have remained elusive — until now. This research highlights the potential for aerobic exercise to serve as a cornerstone in preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s.”
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How to get started with an exercise program
So, if you’re ready to make exercise a cornerstone in your own Alzheimer’s prevention, here’s how:
Because better heart health equates to better brain health, I recommend following the activity recommendations researchers have found, which is the exact prescription for better heart health in middle age (even if you’ve been a couch potato most of your life).
First, remember that it’s best to start slow. You can begin with three 30-minute moderate-intensity exercise sessions weekly for three months.
Your eventual goal should be four to five weekly exercise sessions as you build up. Be sure to do a warm-up and cool-down with each session.
In addition to those 30 minutes of exercise, you should do a warm-up and cool-down every time. Here are some guidelines to follow as you’re creating the exercise regimen that could save your heart and your life:
Check out these specific recommendations for formulating your exercise program to save your heart and your brain.
Of course, if you have heart disease or are over 45 and have two or more risk factors, including a family history, consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.
Sources:
Aerobic exercise: a powerful ally in the fight against Alzheimer’s — EurekAlert!
15 minutes of yoga and your ‘stroke’ number could drop 10 points — Easy Health Options
The amazing benefits of just 12 minutes of exercise — Easy Health Options
They did the math: Here’s how much to exercise to slow brain aging — Easy Health Options