Exercise May Help Prevent, Even Slow, Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers say the evidence is mounting that a consistent exercise routine can help you stave off dementia.
Swimming is among the exercises that can help people at low risk as well as high risk of Alzheimer’s disease lower their odds of getting the disease.
There is no cure yet and no vaccine.

But new methods for staving off dementia and Alzheimer’s are continuing to emerge.
Exercise has been identified as one way in which the disease might be delayed or lessened.
And, while its effectiveness hasn’t yet been proven, the evidence is beginning to accumulate.

The latest comes from a study that found patients with a rare inherited, early-onset form of the disease who exercised for at least 2.5 hours a week had better cognitive performance and fewer signs of Alzheimer’s than those who didn’t.
That study, published Tuesday, suggests that the benefits from exercise seen in Alzheimer’s patients might hold for even those who are at the highest risk of developing the disease.

Why exercise is effective

Why exercise appears to work may have to do with the benefits of exercise to cardiovascular health.
“There’s some evidence to suggest that healthy blood pressure and good cardiovascular health are really beneficial to the brain,” Rebecca Edelmayer, PhD, director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, told Healthline.

She said that may have to do with decreasing the decline in performance of small blood vessels to the brain and increasing how effectively oxygen is pumped through the body.
Baker noted that exercise could fight dementia by increasing the number of synapse connections, improving cell walls to allow for better exchange of nutrients, and improving vascular health.

What the study revealed

In the new study, the participants all had the early-onset genetic mutation.
Their physical activity was classified as either low or high level based on whether they got at least 150 minutes of exercise per week or not.
Those with high levels of physical activity were diagnosed with milder dementia 15 years later than those with lower levels. Typically, those with that mutation get Alzheimer’s between age 30 and 60.
She said the current consensus so far is about 30 to 40 minutes three to four times a week.

How to reduce the risk

There’s enough evidence that the Alzheimer’s Association has named exercise as one of the top lifestyle habits to adopt to reduce risk of dementia.
It also recommends eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, getting enough sleep, staying social, and challenging your brain through learning or puzzles.
The organization is conducting a large two-year study to look at which lifestyle factors are most beneficial.

The great thing about these sorts of actions, Baker said, is all the side effects are positive.
Even if more exercise doesn’t slow cognitive decline, the only risk you’re running is getting all the other many benefits that come from exercising regularly.