Would six minutes of vigorous activity a day be enough to protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s? This is suggested by a new study published on January 11, 2023 in The Journal of Physiology. According to researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand, short bursts of intense activity could prolong the lifespan of a healthy brain and thus delay cognitive decline.
But how is this possible? Researchers set out to find the best way to stimulate the production of a certain protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The latter is known to be essential for brain formation, learning and memory. It also promotes the brain’s ability to form new connections and is currently being explored as a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
While pharmaceutical interventions failed to increase the amount of BDNF produced by the human body, researchers recruited 12 people – six men and six women between the ages of 18 and 56 – and tried four different ways to boost this protein. :
- A 20-hour fast;
- A 90-minute session of low-intensity cycling;
- A six-minute vigorous exercise session consisting of 40 seconds of cycling and 20 seconds of rest;
- A combination of fasting and exercise.
According to their results, theshort, vigorous exercise (equivalent to HIIT) was the most effective way to increase the amount of BDNF: it increased it up to five times more compared to those who fasted or exercised lightly. Intense exercise increases the number of platelets which store a large amount of protein.
“We saw the need to explore non-pharmacological approaches that can preserve brain capacity that humans can use to naturally increase BDNF to aid in healthy aging.”said lead researcher Professor Travis Gibbons in a communicated.
What workouts to do?
While the study only looked at cycling, other intense workouts, or HIIT, could also bring the same results. HIIT describes any workout that involves a short burst of high-intensity exercise followed by brief, low-intensity activity repeatedly. The number of repetitions and the duration depends on each exercise, but can fit in three repetitions with only 20 seconds of intense exercise.
Here is some exercises that can be done :
- Heel Raises and Knee Raises;
- sumo squats and jump squat: place your feet a little wider than your hips and go down in a squat position keeping your back straight then go back up before jumping;
- Mountain climbers: in a plank position, hands under the shoulders, bring the right knee towards the chest then switch legs and accelerate.
Repeat these three exercises four times for 6 minutes. Be careful if you are not used to practicing a sporting activity. Cycling, running, swimming… remember that even moderate physical activity is also very effective in protecting the brain from Alzheimer’s disease.
Sources:
- Fasting for 20 h does not affect exercise-induced increases in circulating BDNF in humans, The Journal of PhysiologyJanuary 11, 2023
- Six minutes of high-intensity exercise could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, The Physiological Society, January 11, 2023
