Muscles and Brain Health
As someone with a lifetime love of exercise, but also at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, I have counted on exercise to protect my brain. As a cardio junkie (I used to love to run, bike, and now swim), I thought that was all I needed.
And, there is a lot of research which suggests regular exercise can help strengthen brain cells, activate neural pathways, and reinforce connections in the following ways:
· Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is called “miracle gro” for the brain. It creates new nerve cells and bulks up the brain (How Exercise Affects the Brain, 2021) (Lee et al., 2023).
· Promoting neural connections. Exercise grows not only new neurons but strengthens the connections between neurons (Ding et al., 2006).
· Increasing endorphins. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that can help reduce stress and increase feelings of happiness, which can help with focus and mental sharpness (Exercising to Relax - Harvard Health Publishing, 2011)
· Decreasing inflammation. Exercise has been shown to decrease inflammation in the brain and help the microglia, our brain’s housekeepers, protect our brain by removing the sticky plaque build-up characteristic of Alzheimer’s. (Mee-inta et al., 2019)
However, what type of exercise, how long and how often? It turns out my cardiovascular exercise is beneficial, but I really need strength training as well. Research also shows strong muscles protect against dementia (Stronger Muscles Linked to Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s, 2010). If you don’t have strong muscles, just improving your muscle strength has been also shown to improve memory and executive function (Sui et al., 2020). Additionally, strength training increases brain volume, strengthens our bones, and helps protect against white matter lesions, something we see in both dementia and the aging brain (Törpel et al., 2018).
A larger muscle mass burns more calories and protects our brain against another dementia driver - insulin resistance. What’s more, weight training guards against sarcopenia (the loss of lean muscle mass) which is strongly correlated with Alzheimer’s (Cavalcante et al., 2023).
How much exercise should you get? Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity five days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous training three days a week. This can be as simple as walking outside in nature, or join a club, such as a master’s swim team. For strength training, it is recommended to have at least 2 sessions a week (Konopka, 2015).
If you’ve never formally engaged in strength training, you may want to consider joining a local gym, YMCA, senior or community center. In addition to offering the equipment you need, many provide trainers who can help you develop a personalized program to meet your goals. I go to you tube. My favorite instructor is Pahla B as her strength videos focus on both balance and strength (I turn the sound off and listen to a podcast or book on tape).
At Vital Mind- we can give you an individualized exercise plan. For a complimentaly clarity call, you can reach us at 1-252-401-2625 or e-mail Cheryl@vitalmindfunctional.com.
Cavalcante, B. R., Falck, R. S., & Liu-Ambrose, T. (2023). “May the Force (and Size) Be with You”: Muscle Mass and Function Are Important Risk Factors for Cognitive Decline and Dementia. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 27(11), 926–928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-2023-9
Ding, Q., Vaynman, S., Akhavan, M., Ying, Z., & Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2006). Insulin-like growth factor I interfaces with brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated synaptic plasticity to modulate aspects of exercise-induced cognitive function. Neuroscience, 140(3), 823–833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.02.084
Exercising to Relax—Harvard Health Publishing. (2011, February 1). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
How exercise affects the brain. (2021, February 8). Life Sciences. https://lifesciences.byu.edu/how-exercise-affects-your-brain
Konopka, L. M. (2015). How exercise influences the brain: A neuroscience perspective. Croatian Medical Journal, 56(2), 169–171. https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2015.56.169
Lee, K. Y., Rhodes, J. S., & Saif, M. T. A. (2023). Astrocyte-mediated Transduction of Muscle Fiber Contractions Synchronizes Hippocampal Neuronal Network Development. Neuroscience, 515, 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.01.028
Mee-inta, O., Zhao, Z.-W., & Kuo, Y.-M. (2019). Physical Exercise Inhibits Inflammation and Microglial Activation. Cells, 8(7), 691. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8070691
Stronger muscles linked to lower risk of Alzheimer’s. (2010, June 15). National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/stronger-muscles-linked-lower-risk-alzheimers
Sui, S. X., Williams, L. J., Holloway-Kew, K. L., Hyde, N. K., & Pasco, J. A. (2020). Skeletal Muscle Health and Cognitive Function: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(1), 255. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010255
Törpel, A., Herold, F., Hamacher, D., Müller, N. G., & Schega, L. (2018). Strengthening the Brain—Is Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction an Effective Strategy for Cognitive Improvement? Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(10), 337. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7100337
