It’s common knowledge that strength training at the gym enhances our strength and fitness levels. However, the lesser-known fact is that there are strength training benefits for brain health as well.
Regular physical activity and exercise, in the form of strength training, serves as a shield against cardiovascular diseases. This protective effect likely extends to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and dementia. Strength training, often associated with physical fitness and muscle building, has a profound impact on brain health. This form of exercise goes beyond enhancing physical strength and endurance, offering significant benefits for cognitive function and mental well-being.
Cognitive Enhancement
Research indicates that individuals who engage in resistance training tend to have better brain health. Healthy people who strength train can improve their brain function, and this benefit is likely to be more pronounced in the elderly. People with cognitive decline have shown improved cognition after starting resistance (strength) training.
Mood Elevation
Strength training also plays a role in mood regulation. Like aerobic exercise, it stimulates the brain’s pituitary gland to release endorphins, which are morphine-like hormone molecules that enter the brain’s neurons, blocking pain impulses and resulting in a mildly euphoric feeling.
Protection Against Cognitive Decline
Strength training has been linked to the prevention of cognitive decline. A study conducted by Harvard Health found that strength training improved mental performance in a group of men and women aged 55 through 86 who had mild cognitive impairment.
Metabolic Balance
Strength training helps regulate metabolic balance, which may reduce Alzheimer’s risk. Several years ago, researchers at Brown University proposed that Alzheimer’s dementia could be considered “type 3 diabetes,” due to a series of metabolic alterations seen in the brains of people with this condition.
Brain Remodeling
Long-term strength training has been found to lead to overall benefits to cognitive performance, benefits linked to protection from degeneration in specific subregions of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a complex structure in the brain with a major role in learning and memory.
The takeaway from this article is that strength training offers a multitude of benefits for brain health, from cognitive enhancement and mood elevation to protection against cognitive decline and metabolic balance. It’s a powerful tool that can help maintain and improve brain health.