Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Best Ways To Gain Weight: 3 Exercise Techniques For Skinny Guys


Home  »  Weight Training Programs  »  Best Ways To Gain Weight: 3 Exercise Techniques For Skinny Guys By Daniel Page, CPT   |  Comments

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ways to gain weight
Try These 3 Ways To Gain Weight:
If you’re looking for the top ways to gain weight, it’s important that you consider a variety of different approaches so that you can clearly see which will help you reach your end goal the fastest.

There are a number of effective ways to gain weight that can be used if you structure them into your workout routine properly and fully understand what it is you are to be doing as you move along.

But, if you use some of the weight gain techniques improperly, you could end up overtraining and actually doing more harm than good… So pay attention!

It’s going to be imperative that you take the time to learn about these different ways to gain weight, how they work, and who they are best suited for. This way you’ll know exactly what you need to do in order to start making gains.

Let's start off with this video from Jeff Masterson:

Jeff Masterson is the creator of the Weight Gain Blueprint Program - A step-by-step muscle building program that shows you how to pack on 20... 30... even 40 pounds of muscle or more in the shortest time possible.


The first type of technique that you can use to take your progress up a notch is a superset. A superset is a form of training where you’re going to pair two exercises immediately back to back working the same muscle group with no rest in between.

So for example, you might do a set of dumbbell bicep curls followed by a set of EZ-bar reverse-bicep curls. Once both exercises are finished, then you would rest for 30-60 seconds before carrying on.

Who This Is Best Suited For:

This technique is going to be best suited to those who are more advanced lifters who are looking to induce a higher state of fatigue and bring about more lactic acid in the muscle cells.

Supersets are great for ‘pump’ training as the blood flow to the region will be enhanced, so it will really make you feel fuller after performing them.

They’re also really good for those who are short on time in their workout session as by doing these you can dramatically cut back on how much total time is necessary to move through each workout.

Adding It To Your Workout:

When adding supersets into your workout routine, you generally want to choose to do them for two muscle groups that oppose each other. So for instance, you would pair the biceps with the triceps or the quads with the hamstrings.

While this isn’t a rule, it’s generally the best way to go about setting them up.

Don’t do them on all exercises, but rather add one or two sets to each workout.

discover how to gain weight


Another one of the best ways to gain weight is with drop sets. Drop sets will be where you perform one set of one exercise and then rather than stopping to rest, you drop the weight by five pounds and then perform a second set.

Once that second set is completed, you’ll drop the weight one more time and then perform a third and final set before taking your rest break.

Who This Is Best Suited For

Drop sets are great for those who also want a higher amount of fatigue generation with their workout and who are currently plateaued at a given weight on a particular exercise.

By adding a drop set into the mix, you can help overcome that plateau so that when you do go back to straight sets again, you’re able to push harder and see increases to your strength level.

Adding It To Your Workout:

Since drop sets are such a high fatigue type of technique, aim to add these towards the end of your workout program when you’re finishing off for the session. This way, you can bring about a total state of fatigue and then move on from there.


Pre-fatigue sets are another good way to bust through weight lifting plateaus and gain weight. Pre-fatigue sets entail you performing one set for an isolated exercise first before moving on to a compound movement.

This way, by tiring out that smaller muscle group, you ensure that it’s not being called into play for the compound exercise you perform and instead, it will strictly be that larger muscle group doing all the work.

Who This Is Best Suited For:

Pre-fatigue sets are ideal for those who are looking to really take the intensity of their workout program up a level and who are good with dealing with fatigue and pushing through it.

They’re also great for those who are looking to specialize in building up the larger muscle groups such as the chest, quads, hamstrings, shoulders, and back.

Adding It To Your Workout:

When adding this to your workout, you would want to pinpoint the helper muscle groups in any compound lift that you’re doing and then target that first with the isolation exercise. So for example, if you’re doing bench press and want to work the chest, perform a few sets of tricep extensions first.

Or, if you’re doing squats and want to work the hamstrings, perform a few sets of leg extensions prior to moving on to the squat.

Keep in mind that since you are tiring out these helper muscles, it’s normal to see the amount of weight you should be lifting significantly decline. This is due to the reduced level of muscle fiber recruitment that will be present when doing that compound lift, which takes away from the amount of force you have to push the weight.

So there you have a few of the commonly used ways to gain weight that you should consider adding to your workout program. Keep in mind that these are all advanced techniques so not something to do if you’re a brand new beginner.

If you’re just starting out on your weight gain journey, then using a straightforward weight gain program that focuses on simply adding more and more weight to any compound exercises you perform will likely be your best long-term strategy.

Once you have a more solid base of muscle mass behind you, then using one of these different and unique ways to gain weight will be much more beneficial to keep your progress moving forward.

Related Articles:



View the original article here

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Best Ways To Gain Weight: 3 Exercise Techniques For Skinny Guys


Home  »  Weight Training Programs  »  Best Ways To Gain Weight: 3 Exercise Techniques For Skinny Guys By Daniel Page, CPT   |  Comments

  Tweet  

ways to gain weight
Try These 3 Ways To Gain Weight:
If you’re looking for the top ways to gain weight, it’s important that you consider a variety of different approaches so that you can clearly see which will help you reach your end goal the fastest.

There are a number of effective ways to gain weight that can be used if you structure them into your workout routine properly and fully understand what it is you are to be doing as you move along.

But, if you use some of the weight gain techniques improperly, you could end up overtraining and actually doing more harm than good… So pay attention!

It’s going to be imperative that you take the time to learn about these different ways to gain weight, how they work, and who they are best suited for. This way you’ll know exactly what you need to do in order to start making gains.

Let's start off with this video from Jeff Masterson:

Jeff Masterson is the creator of the Weight Gain Blueprint Program - A step-by-step muscle building program that shows you how to pack on 20... 30... even 40 pounds of muscle or more in the shortest time possible.


The first type of technique that you can use to take your progress up a notch is a superset. A superset is a form of training where you’re going to pair two exercises immediately back to back working the same muscle group with no rest in between.

So for example, you might do a set of dumbbell bicep curls followed by a set of EZ-bar reverse-bicep curls. Once both exercises are finished, then you would rest for 30-60 seconds before carrying on.

Who This Is Best Suited For:

This technique is going to be best suited to those who are more advanced lifters who are looking to induce a higher state of fatigue and bring about more lactic acid in the muscle cells.

Supersets are great for ‘pump’ training as the blood flow to the region will be enhanced, so it will really make you feel fuller after performing them.

They’re also really good for those who are short on time in their workout session as by doing these you can dramatically cut back on how much total time is necessary to move through each workout.

Adding It To Your Workout:

When adding supersets into your workout routine, you generally want to choose to do them for two muscle groups that oppose each other. So for instance, you would pair the biceps with the triceps or the quads with the hamstrings.

While this isn’t a rule, it’s generally the best way to go about setting them up.

Don’t do them on all exercises, but rather add one or two sets to each workout.

discover how to gain weight


Another one of the best ways to gain weight is with drop sets. Drop sets will be where you perform one set of one exercise and then rather than stopping to rest, you drop the weight by five pounds and then perform a second set.

Once that second set is completed, you’ll drop the weight one more time and then perform a third and final set before taking your rest break.

Who This Is Best Suited For

Drop sets are great for those who also want a higher amount of fatigue generation with their workout and who are currently plateaued at a given weight on a particular exercise.

By adding a drop set into the mix, you can help overcome that plateau so that when you do go back to straight sets again, you’re able to push harder and see increases to your strength level.

Adding It To Your Workout:

Since drop sets are such a high fatigue type of technique, aim to add these towards the end of your workout program when you’re finishing off for the session. This way, you can bring about a total state of fatigue and then move on from there.


Pre-fatigue sets are another good way to bust through weight lifting plateaus and gain weight. Pre-fatigue sets entail you performing one set for an isolated exercise first before moving on to a compound movement.

This way, by tiring out that smaller muscle group, you ensure that it’s not being called into play for the compound exercise you perform and instead, it will strictly be that larger muscle group doing all the work.

Who This Is Best Suited For:

Pre-fatigue sets are ideal for those who are looking to really take the intensity of their workout program up a level and who are good with dealing with fatigue and pushing through it.

They’re also great for those who are looking to specialize in building up the larger muscle groups such as the chest, quads, hamstrings, shoulders, and back.

Adding It To Your Workout:

When adding this to your workout, you would want to pinpoint the helper muscle groups in any compound lift that you’re doing and then target that first with the isolation exercise. So for example, if you’re doing bench press and want to work the chest, perform a few sets of tricep extensions first.

Or, if you’re doing squats and want to work the hamstrings, perform a few sets of leg extensions prior to moving on to the squat.

Keep in mind that since you are tiring out these helper muscles, it’s normal to see the amount of weight you should be lifting significantly decline. This is due to the reduced level of muscle fiber recruitment that will be present when doing that compound lift, which takes away from the amount of force you have to push the weight.

So there you have a few of the commonly used ways to gain weight that you should consider adding to your workout program. Keep in mind that these are all advanced techniques so not something to do if you’re a brand new beginner.

If you’re just starting out on your weight gain journey, then using a straightforward weight gain program that focuses on simply adding more and more weight to any compound exercises you perform will likely be your best long-term strategy.

Once you have a more solid base of muscle mass behind you, then using one of these different and unique ways to gain weight will be much more beneficial to keep your progress moving forward.

Related Articles:



View the original article here

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Vigorous Exercise 3 Times Weekly Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk By 22%

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Heart Disease;  Men's health
Article Date: 06 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); email icon email to a friend   printer icon printer friendly   write icon opinions  
4 stars4 and a half stars
Men who do vigorous exercise three times a week were found to have a significantly lower risk of having a heart attack, compared to those of the same age who did not, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in the American College of Sports Medicine. The authors added that other important markers included hemoglobin A1c, apolipoprotein B and vitamin D.

Lead author, Andrea Chomistek, Sc.D. and team gathered data on activity levels and biomarkers from adult males from the Health Professional Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Included in the data were insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels and markers of inflammation. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire twice a year, in which they wrote about how long they spent each week on leisure-time physical activity.

Andrea Chomistek said:

"We studied vigorous exercise because of its stronger association with coronary heart disease. While we discovered that vigorous-intensity exercise decreases a man's risk of heart attack, we also were able to partially determine why. The benefits of exercise on a man's levels of HDL-C, or 'good' cholesterol, account for approximately 38 percent of that decrease. Other important markers included vitamin D, apolipoprotein B and hemoglobin A1c."

Blood samples were collected from 18,225 adult males, of which 454 had suffered a non-fatal heart attack or had died form coronary heart disease between 1994 and 2004, the period of the study. 412 of those with coronary heart disease were compared to 827 controls and matched for smoking status, age and date of blood donation.

Chomistek said:

"As expected, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors were more common among cases than controls. Men who suffered a nonfatal heart attack or died from coronary heart disease had less 'good' cholesterol, more 'bad' cholesterol and were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes."

Even though they had identified some biomarkers that could explain the link between physical activity and a lower chance of developing coronary heart disease, the authors stressed that further research on other mechanisms by which physical activity impacts on cardiovascular risk are needed.

Heart disease causes more premature adult male deaths in the USA than any other illness or condition, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). From 70% to 89% of all sudden cardiac events occur in males. Almost half of all men who suffer a heart attack before they are 65 years old do not live more than eight years.

In an Abstract in the journal, the authors wrote:

"Participating in 3 h•wk-1 of vigorous-intensity activity is associated with a 22% lower risk of MI among men. This inverse association can be partially explained by the beneficial effects of physical activity on HDL-C, vitamin D, apolipoprotein B, and hemoglobin A1c. Although the inverse association attributable to these biomarkers is substantial, future research should explore benefits of exercise beyond these biomarkers of risk."

Hemoglobin A1C is monitored to assess the long-term control of diabetes mellitus.

Apolipoprotein B, also known as APOB or ApoB is the main apolipoprotein of LDL (low-density lipoproteins or "bad cholesterol").

HDL-C, also known as high-density lipoprotein is what is often termed the good cholesterol. Higher HDL-C levels are generally associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our sports medicine / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. ”Vigorous Physical Activity, Mediating Biomarkers, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction”
Andrea Chomistek, Stephanie Chiuve, Majken Jensen, Nancy Cook, Eric Rimm Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise October 2011. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821b4d0a Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Christian Nordqvist. "Vigorous Exercise 3 Times Weekly Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk By 22%." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 6 Oct. 2011. Web.
9 Oct. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.


posted by Milind on 7 Oct 2011 at 10:28 am

Appreciating the arena of the sports-medicine, I feel the experts in this field can surely come out with prescription of particular sports activities as the medicine for particular illnesses. This, I think, would benefit the interested people more than the traditional ones, because of their immense effectiveness, its beauty being that there are no adverse side effects; the side effects are there, but they are only beneficial!

| post followup | alert a moderator |


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View the original article here

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Vigorous Exercise 3 Times Weekly Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk By 22%

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Heart Disease;  Men's health
Article Date: 06 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); email icon email to a friend   printer icon printer friendly   write icon opinions  
4 stars4 and a half stars
Men who do vigorous exercise three times a week were found to have a significantly lower risk of having a heart attack, compared to those of the same age who did not, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in the American College of Sports Medicine. The authors added that other important markers included hemoglobin A1c, apolipoprotein B and vitamin D.

Lead author, Andrea Chomistek, Sc.D. and team gathered data on activity levels and biomarkers from adult males from the Health Professional Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Included in the data were insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels and markers of inflammation. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire twice a year, in which they wrote about how long they spent each week on leisure-time physical activity.

Andrea Chomistek said:

"We studied vigorous exercise because of its stronger association with coronary heart disease. While we discovered that vigorous-intensity exercise decreases a man's risk of heart attack, we also were able to partially determine why. The benefits of exercise on a man's levels of HDL-C, or 'good' cholesterol, account for approximately 38 percent of that decrease. Other important markers included vitamin D, apolipoprotein B and hemoglobin A1c."

Blood samples were collected from 18,225 adult males, of which 454 had suffered a non-fatal heart attack or had died form coronary heart disease between 1994 and 2004, the period of the study. 412 of those with coronary heart disease were compared to 827 controls and matched for smoking status, age and date of blood donation.

Chomistek said:

"As expected, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors were more common among cases than controls. Men who suffered a nonfatal heart attack or died from coronary heart disease had less 'good' cholesterol, more 'bad' cholesterol and were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes."

Even though they had identified some biomarkers that could explain the link between physical activity and a lower chance of developing coronary heart disease, the authors stressed that further research on other mechanisms by which physical activity impacts on cardiovascular risk are needed.

Heart disease causes more premature adult male deaths in the USA than any other illness or condition, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). From 70% to 89% of all sudden cardiac events occur in males. Almost half of all men who suffer a heart attack before they are 65 years old do not live more than eight years.

In an Abstract in the journal, the authors wrote:

"Participating in 3 h•wk-1 of vigorous-intensity activity is associated with a 22% lower risk of MI among men. This inverse association can be partially explained by the beneficial effects of physical activity on HDL-C, vitamin D, apolipoprotein B, and hemoglobin A1c. Although the inverse association attributable to these biomarkers is substantial, future research should explore benefits of exercise beyond these biomarkers of risk."

Hemoglobin A1C is monitored to assess the long-term control of diabetes mellitus.

Apolipoprotein B, also known as APOB or ApoB is the main apolipoprotein of LDL (low-density lipoproteins or "bad cholesterol").

HDL-C, also known as high-density lipoprotein is what is often termed the good cholesterol. Higher HDL-C levels are generally associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our sports medicine / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. ”Vigorous Physical Activity, Mediating Biomarkers, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction”
Andrea Chomistek, Stephanie Chiuve, Majken Jensen, Nancy Cook, Eric Rimm Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise October 2011. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821b4d0a Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Christian Nordqvist. "Vigorous Exercise 3 Times Weekly Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk By 22%." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 6 Oct. 2011. Web.
9 Oct. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.


posted by Milind on 7 Oct 2011 at 10:28 am

Appreciating the arena of the sports-medicine, I feel the experts in this field can surely come out with prescription of particular sports activities as the medicine for particular illnesses. This, I think, would benefit the interested people more than the traditional ones, because of their immense effectiveness, its beauty being that there are no adverse side effects; the side effects are there, but they are only beneficial!

| post followup | alert a moderator |


Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

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Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.



View the original article here

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Exercise At Work Boosts Productivity

Devoting work time to physical activity can lead to higher productivity. This is shown in a study performed by researchers at Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet that is being published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The study shows that it is possible to use work time for exercise or other health-promoting measures and still attain the same or higher production levels. The same production levels with fewer work hours means greater productivity, while at the same time individuals benefit from better health as a result of the physical activity.


"This increased productivity comes, on the one hand, from people getting more done during the hours they are at work, perhaps because of increased stamina and, on the other hand, from less absenteeism owing to sickness," says Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz and Henna Hasson, the researchers behind the study.


In the study, two workplaces in dental care were asked to devote 2.5 hours per week to physical activity, distributed across two sessions. Another group had the same decrease in work hours but without obligatory exercise, and a third group maintained their usual work hours, 40 hours a week.


The results showed that all three groups were able to maintain or even increase their production level, in this case the number of patients treated, during the study period compared with the corresponding time the previous year. Those who exercised also reported improvements in self-assessed productivity they perceived that they got more done at work, had a greater work capacity, and were sick less often.


Sources: Expertanswer, AlphaGalileo Foundation.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Visit our sports medicine / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. There are no references listed for this article. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Expertanswer. "Exercise At Work Boosts Productivity." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 7 Sep. 2011. Web.
9 Oct. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.



Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.


If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.


All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)


Contact Our News Editors


For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:


Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.



View the original article here

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Aerobic Exercise May Reduce The Risk Of Dementia


>
Any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's progression once it starts, reported a Mayo Clinic study published this month in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia.

The researchers broadly defined exercise as enough aerobic physical activity to raise the heart rate and increase the body's need for oxygen. Examples include walking, gym workouts and activities at home such as shoveling snow or raking leaves.


"We culled through all the scientific literature we could find on the subject of exercise and cognition, including animal studies and observational studies, reviewing over 1,600 papers, with 130 bearing directly on this issue. We attempted to put together a balanced view of the subject," says J. Eric Ahlskog, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic. "We concluded that you can make a very compelling argument for exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and for favorably modifying these processes once they have developed." The researchers note that brain imaging studies have consistently revealed objective evidence of favorable effects of exercise on human brain integrity. Also, they note, animal research has shown that exercise generates trophic factors that improve brain functioning, plus exercise facilitates brain connections (neuroplasticity).


More research is needed on the relationship between exercise and cognitive function, the study's authors say, but they encourage exercise, in general, especially for those with or worried about cognitive issues.


"Whether addressing our patients in primary care or neurology clinics, we should continue to encourage exercise for not only general health, but also cognitive health," Dr. Ahlskog says.


Source: Mayo Clinic

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject. There are no references listed for this article. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Mayo Clinic. "Aerobic Exercise May Reduce The Risk Of Dementia." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 8 Sep. 2011. Web.
9 Oct. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.



Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.


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For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

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Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.



View the original article here

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Aerobic Exercise May Cut Dementia Risk

Aerobic exercise, defined as any physical activity that raises heart rate and increases the body's need for oxygen, may cut the risk of dementia and slow its progress once it starts, according to Mayo clinic researchers who examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and found it should be regarded as an important therapy against dementia. They publish their findings in this month's issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The researchers, who are based at the Mayo Clinic centers in Rochester, Minnesota and Jacksonville, Florida, said aerobic exercise is not just a gym workout but includes walking, and doing chores around the home like shovelling snow and raking leaves.


They searched all the scientific papers they could find on the subject of exercise and cognition, including animal studies and observational studies, lead author and neurologist Dr J Eric Ahlskog told the press.


"We attempted to put together a balanced view of the subject," he added, explaining that they reviewed more than 1,600 papers, 130 of which dealt directly with the issue.


"We concluded that you can make a very compelling argument for exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and for favorably modifying these processes once they have developed," said Ahlskog.


He and his colleagues point out that studies involving brain scans consistently show objective evidence of the benefits of exercise on preserving the integrity of the human brain. They also note that animal studies show exercise produces trophic factors that improve the functioning of the brain, and it also increases connections between brain cells, known as neuroplasticity.


For their study, where possible, they conducted meta-analyses of prospective studies and randomized controlled trials (that is where possible, treating clusters of studies of similar design and measurements as if they were one large study and pooling the data).


Here are some of their more detailed findings: Some studies showed signficant reductions in dementia risk linked to midlife exercise.
Midlife exercise also appeared to reduced risks of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Patients with dementia or MCI had better scores after 6 to 12 months of exercise compared to sedentary controls.
Healthy adults who did aerobic exercise also showed significantly improved cognitive scores.
In one large trial of seniors, one year of exercise was linked to significantly larger hippocampal volumes and better spatial memory (cross-sectional studies comparing physically fit with unfit seniors appear to confirm this evidence).
In other trials with seniors, aerobic exercise was linked to a smaller loss of age-related gray matter.
fMRI scans showed that connectivity in brain cognitive networks improved after 6 to 12 months of exercise.
Animal studies suggest exercise increases neuroplasticity by several biological routes, resulting in improved learning.
Animal studies also show exercise increases brain neurotrophic factors (these help grow and repair brain cells), and there is indirect evidence of the same in humans.
Exercise may also lessen cognitive decline by cutting cerebrovascular risk, including small vessel disease, which leads to dementia.The researchers conclude that:

"Exercise should not be overlooked as an important therapeutic strategy."


They said more research should be done to look more closely at the relationship between exercise and cognitive function, but they support the idea that in general people should exercise, as Ahlskog explained:


"Whether addressing our patients in primary care or neurology clinics, we should continue to encourage exercise for not only general health, but also cognitive health."


Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject. "Physical Exercise as a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging."; J. Eric Ahlskog, Yonas E. Geda, Neill R. Graff-Radford, and Ronald C. Petersen; Mayo Clin Proc., September 2011 86(9):876 -884; DOI:10.4065/mcp.2011.0252; Link to Abstract.

Source: Mayo Clinic.

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Catharine Paddock PhD. "Aerobic Exercise May Cut Dementia Risk." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 8 Sep. 2011. Web.
9 Oct. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.



Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.


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