Why Exercise is Important
This Type of Exercise is Linked to Better Brain Health, Study Finds
by Ava Levinson
Scientists uncover a link between younger brains and muscle mass.
Higher levels of muscle mass and less visceral fat are linked to younger brains, according to a new study. It’s another sign that consistent exercise may be crucial for a healthy brain.
In fact, Cyrus Raji, the senior author of the study and an associate professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, said, “If you want a younger, healthier brain, strength train.”
While exercise has long been linked to brain health, this is among the few reports that analyze muscle mass directly and dive into the impact of deep belly fat, or visceral fat. The study was conducted by scientists at WashU’s School of Medicine, and the results were announced in Chicago at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America from November 30 to December 4.
The Methodology
The researchers used MRIs to study the body tissue and brains of nearly 1,200 healthy people ages 40 through 60 (the most common phase of life to develop risk factors associated with later dementia, Raji said). They enlisted AI to help determine the levels of muscle mass and body fat of each person, and they used algorithms built from tens of thousands of other brain scans to determine the ages of each brain, according to The Washington Post.
At that point, scientists had guidelines for how a brain typically looks at each age. Some looked younger than usual, and some older (and therefore more at risk of early cognitive decline). The apparent age was tied to muscle and fat.
“The larger the muscle bulk, the younger-looking the brain,” said Raji. “And the more visceral fat that was present, the older-looking the brain.”
The oldest-looking brains were found in people who had a high level of visceral fat and low muscle mass.
The pattern was there, but the study didn’t test how changing muscle mass and body fat would impact the brain. Still, Raji said the biochemicals that muscles release “tend to promote the creation and integration of brain cells and neuronal connections” and “those from visceral fat do the reverse,” as paraphrased by The Washington Post.
Why It Matters
The study highlights the importance of resistance exercise, Raji said. While most people begin losing muscle mass when middle aged, strength training can slow or reverse that.
Resistance exercise, along with aerobic, targets visceral fat. While people can also lose that fat through taking GLP-1s, they’ll lose muscle mass at the same time if they don’t also start lifting weights, according to Raji.
This post originally appeared at inc.com.
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by Ava Levinson
Scientists uncover a link between younger brains and muscle mass.
Higher levels of muscle mass and less visceral fat are linked to younger brains, according to a new study. It’s another sign that consistent exercise may be crucial for a healthy brain.
In fact, Cyrus Raji, the senior author of the study and an associate professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, said, “If you want a younger, healthier brain, strength train.”
While exercise has long been linked to brain health, this is among the few reports that analyze muscle mass directly and dive into the impact of deep belly fat, or visceral fat. The study was conducted by scientists at WashU’s School of Medicine, and the results were announced in Chicago at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America from November 30 to December 4.
The Methodology
The researchers used MRIs to study the body tissue and brains of nearly 1,200 healthy people ages 40 through 60 (the most common phase of life to develop risk factors associated with later dementia, Raji said). They enlisted AI to help determine the levels of muscle mass and body fat of each person, and they used algorithms built from tens of thousands of other brain scans to determine the ages of each brain, according to The Washington Post.
At that point, scientists had guidelines for how a brain typically looks at each age. Some looked younger than usual, and some older (and therefore more at risk of early cognitive decline). The apparent age was tied to muscle and fat.
“The larger the muscle bulk, the younger-looking the brain,” said Raji. “And the more visceral fat that was present, the older-looking the brain.”
The oldest-looking brains were found in people who had a high level of visceral fat and low muscle mass.
The pattern was there, but the study didn’t test how changing muscle mass and body fat would impact the brain. Still, Raji said the biochemicals that muscles release “tend to promote the creation and integration of brain cells and neuronal connections” and “those from visceral fat do the reverse,” as paraphrased by The Washington Post.
Why It Matters
The study highlights the importance of resistance exercise, Raji said. While most people begin losing muscle mass when middle aged, strength training can slow or reverse that.
Resistance exercise, along with aerobic, targets visceral fat. While people can also lose that fat through taking GLP-1s, they’ll lose muscle mass at the same time if they don’t also start lifting weights, according to Raji.
This post originally appeared at inc.com.
“Click here to subscribe to the Inc. newsletter: inc.com/newsletters"
