Aged Care
Raising a sweat may reduce Alzheimer’s
Vigorous physical activity could reduce the number of Alzheimer’s cases by up to 30 percent reports ABC Radio.
Professor Nicola Lautenschlager told Radio National’s Health Report that people who do a lot of physical activity have a lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline compared to those who aren’t active.
But, she says, aerobic exercise is the key. She recommends older Australians do around 150 minutes of physical activity every week.
“You have to work up a sweat and you have to have more intensive breathing,” she says. “So it’s not a stroll with a walking buddy where you have a chat or you stop at every corner with your dog. You have to walk fairly fast, so we call that moderate to vigorous.”
Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training, such as weightlifting, may even be more beneficial.
Exercise is believed to have direct effects on the brain by triggering the production of proteins that encourage nerves to grow.
It may also have indirect benefits for the brain through the heart by reducing high blood pressure and increasing blood flow to the brain.