6 Minutes of Daily High-Intensity Exercise May Delay Alzheimer’s Disease

6 Minutes of Daily High-Intensity Exercise May Delay Alzheimer’s Disease
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It’s possible that delaying the beginning of neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease with only six minutes of high-intensity exercise may lengthen the lifetime of a healthy brain and make it last longer. A new study that was just published in The Journal of Physiology reveals that a brief but intensive bout of cycling stimulates the synthesis of a specific protein that is crucial for brain development, learning, and memory, and that may protect the brain against the cognitive loss that is associated with aging.

This new understanding of the importance of exercise is one step toward the development of non-pharmacological methods that are accessible, egalitarian, and inexpensive and that anybody may use in order to promote good aging.

The capacity of the brain to develop new interconnections and pathways is referred to as neuroplasticity, and the longevity of neurons is promoted by a specific protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF.

Studies conducted on animals have demonstrated that an increase in the amount of BDNF that is available promotes the development and preservation of memories, improves learning, and, overall, increases cognitive function. The interest in BDNF for use in studies on aging is likely due to these important functions as well as its apparent neuroprotective characteristics.

Travis Gibbons, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Otago in New Zealand, remarked that while BDNF has shown significant promise in animal models, pharmacological therapies have not been successful in safely harnessing the protective capacity of BDNF in people.

Scientists from the University of Otago in New Zealand evaluated the following criteria to explore the isolated and interacting consequences of fasting and exercise on BDNF creation. Their goal was to disentangle the role of fasting and physical activity on BDNF production.

  • Observing a fast for twenty hours.
  • Mild physical activity 
  • Workouts at a very high intensity 
  • Alternating between periods of fasting and exercise

When compared to one day of fasting with or without a long session of gentle activity, the researchers discovered that short bouts of intense exercise were the most effective approach to enhance BDNF levels. When compared to either extended exercise (which resulted in no change in BDNF concentration) or fasting, there was a four- to five-fold rise in BDNF (396 pg L-1 to 1170 pg L-1) (slight increase in BDNF concentration, 336 pg L-1 to 390 pg L-1).

It is currently unknown what factors contributed to these disparities, and further study is required in order to comprehend the processes at play. One theory is concerned with the cerebral substrate switch as well as the metabolism of glucose, which is the major fuel source for the brain.

The cerebral substrate switch occurs when the brain changes its preferred fuel source for another in order to guarantee that the body’s energy needs are satisfied. One example of this would be the brain metabolizing lactate rather than glucose while it is being physically taxed. Initiation of pathways that lead to increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the bloodstream occurs when the brain switches from eating glucose to lactate.

During exercise, there is a rise in the number of platelets, which are the tiniest blood cells but retain significant quantities of BDNF. This might be the cause of the observed increase in BDNF. Exercising leads to a 20% rise in the concentration of platelets that are circulating in the blood, which is a more significant effect than the effect of fasting.

The research was conducted on a group of twelve individuals who were physically active and ranged in age from 18 to 56 years old (six men and six females). The purpose of maintaining an equal number of male and female volunteers was not to highlight sexist inequalities but rather to give a more accurate picture of the overall population.

Further study is now being conducted to investigate the effects of calorie restriction and exercise in more depth, with the goal of distinguishing the impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from the cognitive advantages.

Researchers are now investigating the effects that going without food for extended periods of time, such as up to three days, have on BDNF. They are interested in learning whether or not vigorous exercise performed at the beginning of a fast may speed up the positive benefits of the fast.


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Anna is an avid blogger with an educational background in medicine and mental health. She is a generalist with many other interests including nutrition, women's health, astronomy and photography. In her free time from work and writing, Anna enjoys nature walks, reading, and listening to jazz and classical music.

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