Even small workouts can help protect the aging brain

Good fitness can reduce the risk of dementia and promote healthy brain aging. This recognition must be included in updated health recommendations, say researchers behind the new assessment.

The news that even small amounts of physical activities can offer great health benefits received a lot of attention in Norway when NTNU researchers Ulrik Wisløff and Atefe R. Tari published their book “MicroTraining – 7 weeks to stimulate fitness and strength” in January of this year.

Now the same researchers have looked at the relationship between physical activity, or in good physical form and the health of the brain. This research was conducted with colleagues from the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia.

Promising measures

The study, published in the British medical magazine The Lancet, shows that the brain absolutely benefits from physical activity.

Even small amounts of high intensity exercise have an effect on the brain. This must be communicated more clearly – it may be what motivates people to get started.

Stamper training and good fitness can reduce the risk of dementia and promote healthy brain aging.

“And it’s never too late to start,” says Atefe R. Tari, the first author of the study.

Even small amounts of physical activity can be sufficient to protect the aging brain, the researchers concluded.

“We summarize research that clearly indicates that exercise is not only important for the heart, but also for the brain. Physical activity seems to be one of the most promising measures we have to prevent cognitive decline and dementia,” Tari said.

Slows out aging processes

The article evaluated evidence of both animal and human studies and shows how physical activity the inflammation, blood flow, immune function, brain plasticity and the release of protective molecules in the blood processes that weaken with age and contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

“These are mechanisms that play an important role in the development of dementia and cognitive decline,” Tari said.

Tari and Wisløff are researchers from the Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG) at NTNU and have previously promoted the idea that microtraining – from no activity to including small doses of pulse training in daily life – are included in the recommendations of Norwegian health authorities.

Nowadays the recommendation is at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of high intensity per week.

“Fully 50 to 70 percent of the population does not manage today’s current activity recommendations, Wisløff said.

Small doses – high intensity

The researchers point out that exercising much less than what the current recommendations recommend can offer great benefits – as long as the intensity of the training is high.

Tari and Wisløff believe that this new study makes it even more important to release the message.

“We believe that it is time for the health authorities to give clearer advice on how important practice is for the brain. Our assessment shows that even small doses of high intensity activity – equivalent to firm walking where you cannot sing – can reduce the risk of dementia by a maximum of 40 percent,” Wisløff said.

Never too late to start

International research supports the findings of the NTNU researchers. In a commentary in Nature Medicine in January, American researchers argued that public guidelines should be updated. Even small doses of physical activity offer health benefits.

“Today’s recommendations emphasize total activity, but we show that even small amounts of high intensity exercises have an effect on the brain. This must be communicated more clearly – it may be what people motivate to get started. A bit better than nothing – and it is never too late to start,” says Tari.

As life expectancy increases, cognitive decline and dementia become a major challenge for public health. Because there is still no remedy, prevention is crucial.

“Exercise is cheap, accessible and has no side effects. It must be considered an primary measure to maintain the health of the brain,” Tari said.