The IAA One Minute Blog

Recent studies are showing that exercise can help with, and potentially lower, the risk of dementia.

Exercise and Dementia

Vigorous exercise more than once a week can lower the risk of dementia for people with high blood pressure, a new clinical trial shows.

People who engaged each week in vigorous physical activity had lower rates of mild cognitive impairment and dementia, despite their high blood pressure.

The clinical trial involved more than 9,300 participants with high blood pressure, aged 50 and older.

Nearly 60% of the study patients reported vigorous physical activity at least once a week.

Results of the study were published in “Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.”

Another study involving Alzheimer's showed that a set of healthy lifestyle habits can help preserve brain function in folks with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.

About 71 percent of patients who ate healthy, exercised regularly, and engaged in stress management had their dementia symptoms either remain stable or improve without the use of drugs.

By comparison, 68 percent of patients in a control group without these lifestyle changes experienced a worsening of these symptoms.

For the study, researchers recruited 51 people with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

The people in the lifestyle change group participated in an intensive program with four components:

1. A whole-food, plant-based diet low in harmful fats, refined carbs, alcohol, and sweeteners.
2. Moderate aerobic exercise and strength training for at least a half-hour a day.
3. Stress management for one hour each day.
4. Support groups for patients and their partners for one hour three times a week.

Results after 20 weeks showed significant differences in the lifestyle group vs the control group, both in brain function and in blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's.

This study was reported in the journal “Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy.”

Signs of Alzheimer's

1.  Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing items and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgement
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood or personality

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America knows that exercise can have long term effects on many aspects of your health. IAA hopes you continue to work toward making healthy choices.