Can Exercise Help Prevent Dementia if You Have a Genetic Risk?
If you’re worried about developing dementia because it runs in your family, you might be wondering if there’s anything you can do to lower your risk. The good news is that exercise could help protect your brain, even if you have genes that make you more likely to get dementia.
A recent study found that people who did just 35 minutes of moderate exercise per week had a 41% lower chance of getting dementia compared to those who didn’t exercise at all[1]. That’s not much exercise – it’s about 5 minutes a day! And the more people exercised, the lower their risk became. Those who exercised for 140 minutes or more each week (about 20 minutes a day) had a 69% lower risk of dementia[1].
The really interesting part is that exercise seemed to help everyone, even people who were frail or had other health issues that put them at higher risk for dementia[1]. This suggests that no matter what your current health is like or what genes you have, moving your body more could help keep your brain healthy.
But how does exercise help? Scientists think it works in a few ways. Exercise increases blood flow to your brain, which means it gets more oxygen and nutrients[4]. It also helps create new brain cells and strengthens the connections between them[4]. Exercise can even reduce inflammation in your body and brain, which is thought to play a role in dementia[4].
Some studies have found that exercise might directly affect the harmful proteins that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type of dementia[11]. While more research is needed, this is a promising sign that exercise could be fighting dementia at its source.
The best part is that you don’t need to become a gym fanatic to get these benefits. Any kind of movement that gets your heart rate up a bit counts as moderate exercise. This could be brisk walking, swimming, dancing, or even doing energetic housework[5]. The key is to find activities you enjoy so you’ll stick with them.
It’s important to remember that while exercise can lower your risk, it can’t completely prevent dementia. Genes do play a role, and there are other factors involved too. But exercise is one of the most powerful things you can do to keep your brain healthy as you age, regardless of your genetic risk.
So if dementia runs in your family, don’t feel helpless. Lace up your sneakers, put on some music and dance, or take a walk around your neighborhood. Your future self – and your brain – will thank you for it.
