People who run more than 15 miles a week, eat fruit and take cholesterol-management drugs could lessen their chances of dying from Alzheimer’s Disease, a study concluded.
Walking can also help prevent Alzheimer’s, if the pace and energy expended with walking is equivalent to running 15 miles, the study also suggested.
Preserving the brain’s volume is critical to preventing Alzheimer’s, according to Paul Williams, a staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif. Exercise plays an important role in preserving that volume.
In addition, Williams’ team found that eating three or more pieces of fruit daily, and taking cholesterol-lowering drugs also helped prevent the disabling disease.
The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association indicates about five million Americans who are 65 years old and older have Alzheimer's disease. The disease affects thinking, behavior and memory.
The study followed 153,000 runners and walkers for an average of almost 12 years and researched the number who died from Alzheimer’s disease.
The study found that the people who ran more than 15.3 miles a week had 40 percent less chance of dying of Alzheimer’s disease. Runners who logged from 7.7 to 15.3 miles cut their risk of dying from Alzheimer’s disease by 25 percent.
Williams said his findings are not consistent with recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends that adults exercise a minimum of 2.5 hours a week to gain any benefits. For greater health benefits, the CDC recommends that adults combine two to five hours of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening activities.
