If you’re like most people these days, you probably know that
regular exercise does your body good. You
know that exercise can help you gain physical strength, lose weight, improve
your cardiovascular endurance and obtain that “beach body” that you’ve been
dreaming about in your sleep. You may
also know about the various benefits of exercise for your health such as how it
will help you to lower your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It certainly is all over the news these days
on T.V., online and media advertisements.
However, you rarely hear about
how the benefits of exercise extend far beyond your gaining strength and your heart
health. Beyond building a better “beach
body” and being great for your heart, exercise is important for preserving and
building your most important muscle – your brain!
Several human and animal studies strongly suggest that exercise
induces neurogenesis (i.e., the production of new brain neurons and synaptic
connections), protects your brain against strokes, and helps you to preserve your
memories to avoid having those senior moments.1,2,3 Exercise promotes the production of brain
derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and other nerve growth factors, helps to
raise the circulating levels of proteins like FNDC5 and helps to stimulate
angiogenesis (i.e., the formation of new blood vessels that help to improve cerebral blood flow) so it will help
to repair damaged brain cells.4
Many of these effects have been
demonstrated in people with Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis.5,
6
So if you’re concerned about preserving your brain health and
want to avoid having those regrettable senior moments, it is important that
you exercise regularly. Although the research suggests that more vigorous exercise like
sprinting seems to lead to greater benefits, simply walking briskly 3-4 times a
week for 30 minutes will help you to build a better brain.
To your health,
Dr. Sandoval
To
learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic
health coach can help you to enhance your health and wellbeing, call or
email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.
- Cotman, CW & Berchtold, NC. “Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity.” TRENDS in Neurosciences. (2002). 25 (6), 295-301.
- Hayes, K, Sprague, S, Guo, M, Davis, W, Friedman, A, Kumar, A, et al. “Forced, not voluntary, exercise effectively induces neuroprotection in stroke.” Acta Neuropathologica. (2008)115, 289–296.
- Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus” Nature Neuroscience. (1999). 2, 266 – 270.
- Huh, JY, Panagiotou, G, Mougios, V, Brinkoetter, M, Vamvini, MT, Schneider, BE, et al. “FNDC5 and irisin in humans: I. Predictors of circulating concentrations in serum and plasma and II. mRNA expression and circulating concentrations in response to weight loss and exercise.” Metabolism. (2012) 61 (12), 1725-38.
- Ahlskog, JE. “Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease?” Neurology. (2011). 77 (3), 288 – 294.
- Gold, SM, Schulz, KH, Hartmann, S, Mladek, M, Lang, UE, Hellweg, R, et al. Basal serum levels and reactivity of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor to standardized acute exercise in multiple sclerosis and controls Journal of Neuroimmunology. . (2003). 138, (1–2), 99-105.
The
information, published and/or made available through the
www.fullofradiance.com website, is not intended to replace the services
of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient
relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a
substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the
information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or
health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters
relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that
may require diagnosis or medical attention. Any action on the
reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is
at the reader’s discretion.
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