According to DR, recent research suggests that exercise, such as running and cycling, may play a significant role in reducing the risk of certain types of dementia, especially in middle-aged individuals. Learn more about the major risk factors for dementia in this article.
Danish researcher and author specializing in aging science, Niklas Brendeborg, confirmed in his interview on the DR podcast “The Quest for Eternal Life” that “people who regularly engage in endurance exercises show a lower tendency to develop dementia in later life.”.
According to the same source, this view is based on a study published last September that analyzed data from more than 61,000 Britons, and the results showed that those who practice physical endurance training not only have a lower risk of developing dementia, but also demonstrated a higher level of cognitive performance.
Brandborg explained that these findings apply primarily to non-hereditary dementias, such as symptomatic Alzheimer's and vascular dementia resulting from impaired blood flow to the brain: "Symptomatic Alzheimer's is greatly influenced by lifestyle, and physical activity can have a protective effect against it.".
The mechanism is uncertain, but the brain needs cleaning.
According to Dr. Brindborg, one of the causes of Alzheimer's is believed to be the accumulation of harmful proteins around the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory, which gradually leads to nerve cell damage. Brindborg suggests that "increased blood flow from exercise may help clear the brain of these proteins.".
Exercise also helps reduce inflammation in the body and brain, releasing anti-inflammatory substances that remain active for hours after exercise. "Chronic inflammation is linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's," said Brandborg, according to DR. "The period of reduced inflammation after exercise is likely part of the protective effect." Inflammation is the body's natural immune response to pathogens, but with age, the body may experience what is called "sterile" or chronic inflammation—a continuous activation of the immune system without a real threat—which contributes to cognitive decline and a general feeling of weakness.
35% cases of dementia are preventable, and these are the main factors
According to the Danish National Centre for Knowledge on Dementia, citing the source, the number of people with dementia in the country is expected to reach 145,000 by 2040. A Danish study published in 2023 indicates that there are 12 main factors that increase the risk of developing dementia, the most prominent of which are: lack of physical activity, untreated hearing loss, high blood pressure, and obesity.
If all these factors could be eliminated, theoretically up to 351 TP3T cases of dementia in Denmark could be reduced, according to the study's findings.
But Brandborg emphasizes that the lack of physical activity remains the most prominent factor, as exercise contributes to stimulating the production of a substance known as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which promotes the growth of nerve cells and increases their resistance to stress.
What are the appropriate exercises?
According to the source, there is no definitive scientific recommendation yet, but the Danish Health Authority recommends that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, including muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Further studies show that exercise can improve cognitive function in general.
