Strength Training may delay Alzheimer’s

[Chris7]

Some new studies out are showing that strength training may aide in delaying Alzehimer's. One of the studies mentioned a double-blind study that was conducted so it definitely wasn't just observations being made. My mom has it and is in later stages of it, but it and dementia run in her side of the family so this gave me some hope.

Lifting Weights Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's

cd :O)

 

[powerplay]

This is encouraging information. Thanks for posting! Now to go find my weights.

 

[gauss]

Not surprised to hear this.

I have heard that nearly any type of physical activity/exercise can be effective wrt preventing/delaying Alzheimer's. Much more so than the so called brain-exercises being marketed on the radio.

-gauss

 

[ls99]

I lift 175 lb every time I get up during falling practice, then some more depending on throws. Should count as weight lifting.

 

[Turn_the_Page]

I guess 12 oz curls don't count?

Seriously, this is good news. I guess I'll continue my workouts.

 

[Options]

See this as well:

Brief Workouts Produce Significant Strength Gains - Rogue Health and Fitness

The data herein represents “real people, doing real resistance exercise” from which they are intending to acquire the aforementioned health and fitness benefits…

Previous research suggests that perceived difficulty and misinformation about expected outcomes are barriers to older persons performing resistance exercise. This study presents data from a UK based exercise facility where sessions are performed on a 1 : 1 basis (client : trainer). The study shows that resistance training need not be time consuming, dauntingly complex, or overly difficult, and that considerable increases in strength can be achieved.

Conclusion
This study shows that brief, infrequent workouts produce significant and substantial gains in strength in older adults.

 

[MRG]

Not surprised to hear this.

I have heard that nearly any type of physical activity/exercise can be effective wrt preventing/delaying Alzheimer's. Much more so than the so called brain-exercises being marketed on the radio.

-gauss

A friend's DM has early onset. She was diagnosed at a new memory research unit at University of Kansas med center. The docs told my friend there's evidence that physical activity was the best option for delaying onset. Too late for her DM, but my friend took it to heart. She told me her start weight was 180, five years later, she's at 110. She started walking then running. This year was her first marathon.

KU also did a piece on the local news saying the same thing.

 

[braumeister]

I'm inclined to think this may be true. It at least resonates with what I know (or think I know).

But in all fairness, I think we all know that anyone can find a "study" to cite that proves pretty much anything at all. So it seems best to keep an open mind and treat all these claims with a grain of salt.

 

[eytonxav]

It should increase blood flow, reduce blood sugar and stress to some extent, so I could see this as a reasonable conclusion.

 

[LOL!]

It should increase blood flow, reduce blood sugar and stress to some extent, so I could see this as a reasonable conclusion.

It should also increase the growth of nerve endings into muscle fibers. That doesn't happen without some nerve growth factor running around in your blood. The increase in NGF has to come from somewhere and will go eveywhere blood goes.

 

[pjm-7]

I think there is some validity to this. Mom never had anything to do with exercise or fitness activities. She passed at age 89 with dementia. Dad however, worked out two or three days a week up until a car accident five years ago. He is now 95 and his memory is starting to wane.

 

[gauss]

I'm inclined to think this may be true. It at least resonates with what I know (or think I know).

But in all fairness, I think we all know that anyone can find a "study" to cite that proves pretty much anything at all. So it seems best to keep an open mind and treat all these claims with a grain of salt.

Yep - Usually these studies are just reporting correlation. The two items being studied could both be driven by a third, still unknown, causal effect.

Causation is the ultimate goal which is a much higher bar. Unfortunately you cannot directly prove causation -- just ask a philosopher.

That being said -- it is the scientific process to publish the results and let other scientist see if they can repeat the effect and perhaps find another explanation that breaks the hypothesis.

-gauss
"not really a scientist nor philosopher"

 

[Dawg52]

I do a lot of walking and bike riding but need to incorporate some weight training. I have dumbbells but rarely even think to use them. Might be too late for me.

 

[gerntz]

It's not clear to me that the result would be produced exclusively by weight training. Perhaps other high metabolism activities would do similar if done for similar times with similar calories burned. I get that stretching wouldn't do it, but perhaps jogging/high rate on stationary bike would also.

 

[zinger1457]

I do a lot of walking and bike riding but need to incorporate some weight training. I have dumbbells but rarely even think to use them. Might be too late for me.

It's never too late. I just finished reading "Younger Next Year, The Exercise Program". Offers a good selection of exercises, many of which use dumbbells. I went thru one of their recommended routines and it is a good workout. They also provide a good warmup routine that they recommend using before doing any type of activity,

 

[eytonxav]

It's not clear to me that the result would be produced exclusively by weight training. Perhaps other high metabolism activities would do similar if done for similar times with similar calories burned. I get that stretching wouldn't do it, but perhaps jogging/high rate on stationary bike would also.

The thing with resistance training is that you end up building muscle, with those other activities that you mention, you could end up losing muscle. Anyhow, I support doing both types of training.

 

[Music Lover]

But in all fairness, I think we all know that anyone can find a "study" to cite that proves pretty much anything at all. So it seems best to keep an open mind and treat all these claims with a grain of salt.

That may be true, but I can't think of a single benefit in being weak while the many benefits of strength training are well known. For me, the increased quality of life is more than enough of an incentive to keep lifting.