With millions suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, Americans fear the worst – what if it happens to me? In response to this growing concern, the Federal Government introduced the National Alzheimer's Prevention Project.[1] Physicians participating in the project have viewed it as an opportunity to have a tangible impact on this debilitating disease. Most Americans don't realize exercise is critical to preventing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia! A growing body of evidence links Strength Training to better brain health, including increases in brain volume. Early evidence linking exercise to brain health comes from a study funded by the National Institute on Aging. In the study, those who walked briskly for 40 minutes three days a week had increased volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory formation. Recognizing that exercise can increase brain volume is good news for millions of Americans.
The University of British Columbia researchers have found that full-body Strength Training improves brain health. In a study involving men and women aged 65 to 75, one or two full-body strength workouts per week have resulted in improvements in "executive cognitive functions," which usually decline with age. A follow-up study on the same group published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that some benefits continued a year after the program ended – in those who remained physically active. These studies confirm earlier research from Brazil, which found that six months of Strength Training provided cognitive benefits. The Brazilian researchers suggest Strength Training improves brain health by increasing blood flow to the brain.
Strength Training also protects your brain by keeping you active as you age! A report of 78 studies published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research (Yeung, Robert R., February 1996) links inactive lifestyles to unusual stress on brain neurochemistry. Age-related strength loss (dynapenia) contributes significantly to inactivity. The weaker you become, the less likely you are to stay active. Fortunately, dynapenia can be prevented and reversed at any age with Strength Training. Dr. Lee Rice of the San Diego Sports Medicine and Family Health Center states, "These studies further indicate that the mind-body connection is real and inherently inter-dependent [2]". According to Dr. Walter Bortz, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, strong legs are your most important organ as you age because they keep you active.
Unfortunately, too many adults skip Strength Training, mistakenly believing that cardio-respiratory exercise (e.g., walking, biking, swimming) will keep them strong and active. Cardio-respiratory exercise does not prevent dynapenia. You're gradually becoming weaker and less active If you're not Strength Training. The loss of strength and the corresponding decrease in physical activity is primarily due to a de-conditioning of the neuromuscular system that occurs when you are not Strength Training. Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle into your 70s, 80s, and beyond requires an unwavering commitment to Strength Training. Unfortunately, cultural patterns undermine active lifestyles. In other words, Grandma doesn't strength train and no longer takes walks because society says it's time to slow down and do less. Let me be crystal clear; these are cultural patterns, not physical requirements. There are no benefits to losing strength and slowing down! Maintaining brain health requires staying strong and active your entire life!
In addition to keeping you strong and active, Strength Training supports brain health by reducing the risk of metabolic diseases that damage the brain. A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism [3] found that muscle mass was inversely related to the risk of developing type 2 Diabetes. In other words, the more muscle you have, the less likely you are to become diabetic. I write about this often-overlooked muscle-diabetes connection in BLACK DEATH [4]. The Mayo Clinic reports that preventing Diabetes or better managing it may help prevent Alzheimer's. Some studies suggest that people with Diabetes are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's Dementia or other types of dementia [5]. A study in the journal Neurology found that a lack of blood sugar control over 15 years contributed to the development of Dementia.[6] The researchers from the study concluded that blood sugar control is critical to prevent future Dementia.
At the same time, most adults are unaware of the connection between organ systems. When an organ system is compromised, others are negatively affected. For example, when the musculoskeletal system deteriorates, the integrity of your veins, arteries, and heart (i.e., cardiovascular system) also suffers. These changes have downstream effects on the vascular system of your brain. In other words, losing strength affects the health of the blood vessels that nourish your brain! According to British researcher Dr. James Fischer, the most promising research from the past year shows a connection between Strength Training and neuro-chemical markers of brain health.[7] If you are serious about lowering your risk for neurodegenerative disease (i.e., Alzheimer's, etc.), it's time to embrace Strength Training!
If you are someone you know is interested in a Free Trial Workout please go HERE.
Stay Strong,
Richard J. Wolff, RDN
References
1. Alzheimer's & Dementia Vol. 8, Issue 3, May 2012, pp 234-236.
2. IRSHA, Institute on Exercise and Health. June 27, 1995.
3. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2009;3(6):466-473.
4. BLACK DEATH. Wolff, R. May 2023. http://www.medfitnessprogram.com/blog
5. Mayo Clinic. Diabetes and Alzheimer's Linked. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-and-alzheimers/art-20046987 .
6. Neurology. September 29, 2015;85 (13).
7. James Fisher, Ph.D. 2023, Resistance Exercise Conference, Minneapolis, MN.