Engaging in regular physical activity, such as walking, swimming, cycling or strength training, improves cardiovascular health, boosts immune function, enhances wellbeing and reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
Atherosclerosis is one of the major causes of heart and circulatory disease. It involves the hardening and narrowing of the vessels that carry blood to and from the heart. It is caused by the build-up of abnormal material called plaques—collections of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances circulating in the blood.
As we age, blood vessels, including those in the brain, can be damaged by cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes or smoking. When blood vessels are damaged or blocked, it can deprive your brain of vital oxygen and nutrients, which could lead to a condition called vascular dementia.
Vascular dementia mostly affects the axons or the cables that carry signals from one part of the brain to another. Signals travel more slowly and the brain doesn’t work at full speed. Vascular dementia problems include difficulties in reasoning, planning, judgement, memory and some thought processes.
This vascular ageing also plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease. Vascular damage is present in more than 50% of all clinically diagnosed cases of Alzheimer's disease with reduced microvascular density present in 90% of the disease. Exercising will improve vascular function, ensuring the flow of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells, maximising our immune system and fighting inflammation.
Exercise has several benefits for overall health, including improved heart and vascular health, reduced levels of obesity, improved bone health, cognitive health, immune system function and muscle health and function. Individuals who maintain a healthy level of muscle tend to live healthier and longer as good muscle function helps maintain posture, mobility, and movement. It also improves happiness levels as good function allows independence, reduces frailty and helps prevent falls which can lead to hip fracture and disability, predictors of morbidity and mortality in the elderly.
With age, muscle strength decreases, which can lead to frailty. Physical frailty puts people at greater risk for isolation and depression. Even people who meet one of the criteria for frailty are at great risk. Physical frailty is marked by five indicators: weight loss, exhaustion, feelings of weakness, physical inactivity and slow walking speed. These are risk factors for severe age-related neurodegenerative diseases and research now shows a link between physical frailty and mental health decline.
Exercise has a profound and lasting preservative effect on our brain health and function, throughout life. It is probably true to say that our brains require regular physical exercise to function properly. A study undertaken at the University of Texas and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease documented improvements to memory and blood flow, particularly to the hippocampus, after 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily for one year, in a group of 60-year-olds with mild cognitive impairment.
“We’ve shown that even when your memory starts to fade you can still do something about it by adding aerobic exercise to your lifestyle.” Binu Thomas, PhD
Exercise also reduces chronic inflammation which is also linked with other chronic diseases. Exercise also helps reduce obesity, which is an increased risk for cancer and other diseases. It also increases circulation, improves immunity and improves body composition.
About 30 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise and two sessions of resistance training would be ideal. Start slowly and you’ll find that as your body starts to feel the benefit you will want to do more.