exercise

Exercise Alters Brain Chemistry – May Protect Aging Synapses

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When elderly people stay active, their brains have more of a class of proteins that enhances the connections between neurons to maintain healthy cognition.

University of California – San Francisco. “Exercise alters brain chemistry to protect aging synapses: Enhanced nerve transmission seen in older adults who remained active.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220107100955.htm (accessed January 8, 2022).

I was about to write a snarky comment but I forgot what it was.

Journal Reference – Kaitlin Casaletto, Alfredo Ramos‐Miguel, Anna VandeBunte, Molly Memel, Aron Buchman, David Bennett, William Honer. Late‐life physical activity relates to brain tissue synaptic integrity markers in older adults. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 2022; DOI: 10.1002/alz.12530

Exercise intensity not linked to mortality risk in older adults

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Of these 1,567 participants, 400 were assigned to two weekly sessions of high intensity interval training (HIIT), 387 were assigned to moderate intensity continuous training (MICT), and 780 to follow the Norwegian guidelines for physical activity (control group), all for five years.

After five years, the overall mortality rate was 4.6% (72 participants).

The researchers found no difference in all cause mortality between the control group (4.7%, 37 participants) and combined HIIT and MICT group (4.5%, 35 participants).

They also found no differences in cardiovascular disease or cancer between the control group and the combined HIIT and MICT group.

BMJ. “Exercise intensity not linked to mortality risk in older adults, finds trial.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201007193656.htm (accessed October 8, 2020). — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201007193656.htm

Finally some scientific justification for my lack of exercise.

Step It Up!

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Previous studies have been done on step counts and mortality. However, they were conducted primarily with older adults or among people with debilitating chronic conditions. This study tracked a representative sample of U.S. adults aged 40 and over; approximately 4,800 participants wore accelerometers for up to seven days between 2003 and 2006. The participants were then followed for mortality through 2015 via the National Death Index. The researchers calculated associations between mortality and step number and intensity after adjustment for demographic and behavioral risk factors, body mass index, and health status at the start of the study.

They found that, compared with taking 4,000 steps per day, a number considered to be low for adults, taking 8,000 steps per day was associated with a 51% lower risk for all-cause mortality (or death from all causes). Taking 12,000 steps per day was associated with a 65% lower risk compared with taking 4,000 steps. In contrast, the authors saw no association between step intensity and risk of death after accounting for the total number of steps taken per day.

Higher daily step count linked with lower all-cause mortality

I am so screwed.

OA is a Pain in the Hands (try exercises)

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The source article is here.

For many people, hand strength declines with age, especially if arthritis sets in, making it hard to go about daily tasks. A study published in 2017 in Arthritis & Rheumatology estimated that the overall lifetime risk of hand osteoarthritis is close to 40 percent, with twice as many women as men developing it. People who are obese are also more susceptible—possibly because obesity increases chronic low-level inflammation, which contributes to joint damage.

All of a sudden I’m paying more attention to those infomercials that are selling electric jar openers.  An older friend recommended naproxen sodium.  I’m thinking exercise, thus the link to this short informative article.

 

Light Exercise Helps Older Men Live Longer

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Read the source article at this link.

The researchers report that any amount of physical activity, including light exercise, was linked to a lower risk of dying.

Also, each extra 30 minutes a day of light intensity activity, such as gentle gardening or taking the dog for a walk, was associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of dying.

Aerobic exercise may also slow cognitive decline  in Alzheimer’s according to a recent  literature review.

“Exercise can change the brain chemistry. It can change neurotransmitters associated with depression, anxiety and stress as well as brain chemicals associated with learning,” said Carol Ewing Garber, Director of the Applied Physiology Lab at Columbia University, Teachers College, in New York City, who wasn’t involved in the study. “These changes can result in improved mood, resilience to stress and improve functions of the brain such as processing speed, attention, short term memory and cognitive flexibility among other things.”

 

Resistance Training Tied to Lower Risk for Metabolic Syndrome — Physician’s First Watch

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After adjustment for potential confounders like aerobic exercise levels, doing any resistance exercise was associated with lower risk for metabolic syndrome, compared with no resistance training (hazard ratio, 0.83). People who met guidelines for recommended amounts of both resistance exercise (≥2 days/wk) and aerobic exercise (≥500 metabolic equivalent min/wk) had a 25% lower risk for metabolic syndrome than those who didn’t hit the recommended amounts.

Source: Resistance Training Tied to Lower Risk for Metabolic Syndrome — Physician’s First Watch

Link to the original article below.

Source: Association of Resistance Exercise, Independent of and Combined With Aerobic Exercise, With the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome – Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Stronger Muscles, Longer Life – OU Medicine

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Over a 15-year period, older adults who regularly strength trained were 45% less likely to die than those who didn’t. In fact, their risk of death from heart disease was 41% lower. From cancer, it was 19% less. This link remained ever after the researchers considered the influence of other factors, such as age, overall health, and smoking status.

Source: Stronger Muscles, Longer Life

I’ve known about the benefits of strength training for some time.  I try to build in resistance training 2x a week.  Some weeks are better than others but for the most part I’ve been fairly compliant for over ten years.  After reading this article I’m more motivated.

See you at the gym later.

A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way for Older Adults | Medpage Today

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A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way for Older Adults | Medpage Today.

“This protective effect appears dose-dependent and is already significant for a low dose of moderate to vigorous physical activity (or about 15 min per day), which is below current recommendations for older adults,” they stated. “These results can guide future recommendations for older adults and may improve adherence to regular physical activity programs and thus their global health.”

Some good news about getting older!