After many years of going to the gym, doing yoga I have found that swimming is the ultimate exercise for those of a certain age. You get a full body workout, increase your lung power, decrease your stress levels and you don’t even need to sweat!
Swimmers live longer according to a couple studies. Jump in the pool!
43
Not only is weight training good for your brain, it also promotes increased bone density, overall strength and good posture.
43
Lifting weights is key!
15
The key here folks is a messaging molecule called Osteocalcin.
As bone is placed under load specialized cells called osteoblasts increase the calcium content of the specific bone placed under load; this is call specific adaptation to imposed demand [SAID] and it is the basis of any exercise program.
With bone this remodeling process is described in what is call Wolff’s Law: Which states that bone when chronically place under load will remodel itself overtime to sustain that imposed load. Julius Wolff (1865-1902)
Load is imposed on bone in two primary ways, either thru impact activities such as running, jumping, or boxing and any load bearing activities such as lifting weights.
28
Many herbal and vitamin remedies also help with memory and cognition, although few people have connected with these. It has taken me a lot of research.
2
I am 77. I do weights so that I can avoid (hopefully) having to deal with knee, hip and other body-replacement procedures. It's worked so far. I also do cardio workouts, mostly to avoid cardiovascular issues. So far, so good. If doing weights helps with preserving a "healthy brain" than its all good. Why not do it for both reasons, you seniors? What else do you have to do?
35
oh for heavens sake, leave those poor animals alone. we don't need to torture a rat to learn that lifting weights is good for us
29
@nicki "Torture"? They're exercising in exchange for food. Being asked to work out before you eat a meal is hardly Guantanamo.
25
the animals die at the end of the experiment so that they can take brain tissue samples
17
@nicki I so so agree!
3
Following coronary bypass surgery and cardio rehab four years ago, I began a regular work-out program. I had two goals: improve balance and stamina and build muscle mass. I had a trainer who worked me through several different exercise routines including free weights, various resistance machines, and body weight exercises. Lately, I have been doing yoga and TRX exercises with another trainer. She helps me improve my form. I have noticed that by repeating different yoga routines more carefully and slowly, I have improved balance and agility. I see a definite relationship between my body and my brain. The process has been slow and incremental but steady. I am 76 and feel healthier and stronger than I did at a desk job at 50. My diet has also changed. I eat less and focus on healthier foods. The better my body metabolizes nutrients, the less I seem to need to eat. I’ve lost some weight although this has never been a goal of my exercise program. People who exercise to lose weight are, I think, wasting their time. People who exercise to improve mind-body functions will see surprising gains in reflexes and agility.
In the gym where I exercise there are many older people who are serious about their programs. Most of them look healthy and are dedicated at whatever stage in their exercise routines. There are also many younger people and I like to think that we oldsters set an example for the youngsters who can clearly see that exercise is beneficial no matter what age.
36
I was told by a neuropsychologist that to compensate for my cognitive impairment, I would need to do repetitions. To learn from a book, read it three times and write down information that I wanted to remember. Did the experiment control for the effects of repeated maze running?
7
Each time I see an article like this, I know that there will probably be no real scientific knowledge to be gained, but I click on it anyway, and as I read through it, I keep telling myself: But this is not science! And yet I keep reading. And when I finish it, I'm a little embarrassed with myself, especially because I find myself thinking along: This is suggestive. It couldn't hurt.
How does click-bait work? Why do I keep reading? Is there successful therapy for this? Even something just suggestive will do. It couldn't hurt.
11
I am in a 2xweek exercise class with resistance bands. The exercise (and camaraderie) is great but I've seen no improvement in my ageing brain.
3
@Molly K.
Molly, over time and with variations in your routines, you will notice improvements. The exercises force your brain to control muscle movements and the feed-back from muscles in exercises stimulate the brain. It's been that way for me and other people in our gym. The camaraderie is also a benefit that stimulates brain activity. Improvements are incremental and come over time. I've been at it for nearly four years since bypass surgery and I am stronger and mentally more agile than I was before the heart attack. Keep going. You will see improvements and benefits.
16
@Molly K.,
Resistance bands are probably the lightest form of weight training. Find a trainer that will use free weights in a progressive resistance program. You will be amazed at the results. I compete in powerlifting events at age 75 and my training partner is 79.
8
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis in New York and Israel never exercise, yet many of them live, healthy lives, into their 90s, and even beyond 100. This is especially true of the Haredi sages or grand rabbis. Some of them have had their obituaries published in the NY Times.
4
@New Yorker
They're also financially comfortable enough to never actually have to work real jobs, like many in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Of course you too can live to 100 without doing much physical exercise if you're not stressed mentally, physically or financially.
(Sorry, but pontificating about God is about as much real work as pundits who yell on tv/radio for 3 hours a day.)
25
Do they actually work?
10
In the same way the rats who lifted had better memories of how to navigate the maze and find the food, safe to say before the last 1000 years, most of the high-intensity strength 'training' was involved in procuring food, sex, shelter or fighting for those same things.
It would be important to be able to form new memories during all those events - why exert so much energy stalking prey if you don't remember what worked or didn't work? If you had to wrestle an opponent to submission to become a warrior, wouldn't you want to remember the skills that made you win or lose?
That said, who wants to remember everything possible about The Gym? Not sure the memories created there actually help the creature they way it would have a couple of millennia ago.
1
If weight training increases cognition - a word most muscle bound he-men don’t know how to spell or know what cognition means - then why do weight lifters have such notoriously weak minds? Most of their attention is on their rippling muscles, not great thoughts. Plus, how do weight training accidents that result in head trauma enhance memory? Usually, one loses short term memory when dropping weights on one’s head.
I expect better from the New York Times. This is pseudoscience.
1
@Maurie Beck Jeez that's harsh, I know many weight lifting "gym rats" that have some very deep thoughts...I sense a little muscle envy in the air.
40
@Maurie Beck
I don't think you know many people--not just men--who lift weights. You are parroting empty stereotypes. And I've lifted for many, many years, and never seen anyone experience a head injury in a weight room.
I'm 74 now, over 60 yrs since I started lifting in my junior high school weight room. I still use weights for arm and shoulder toning. I can spell and use "cognition."
And I work in a product development team designing medical devices; I've spent years in volunteer activities in my community and church, and have a rich multi-dimensional relationship with my PhD wife.
You need to get out more, Maurie.
47
@Maurie Beck From where do you derive the notoriety of weak-minded weightlifters? Perhaps I should ask the attorneys, engineers, physicians, researchers, and other accomplished individuals who attend my gym what their more sedentary colleagues think of them?
24
Male, 68, 180 pounds. Growing old is not for sissies, and requires a holistic approach: (1) regular, vigorous aerobic exercise; (2) weight training; (3) yoga for balance, flexibility, posture and (most importantly) serenity; (4) diet of home cooked meals, absolutely no junk; (5) keep the booze down to a dull roar; (6) surrounded yourself with positive loving people, and be positive and loving yourself! (7) stay curious and be a life-long learner (8) keep moving!
I have discovered the Fountain of Youth and it is filled with sweat
91
So does the resistance training benefit the brain or is it the Fruit Loops?
15
Weights strapped to my "rear end" sounds like a great idea for strength and maybe even weight loss, in addition to improving my not so good memory. And fruit loops! Yum, haven't had those since the '70s. Wish these research studies would include me instead of a rat.
9
Many people find resistance training to be somewhat difficult to fit into their lives. I've found that avoiding alcohol, more or less completely, helps immensely. Though I only ever had a glass of wine in the evening, to be just that little bit more tired and lazy in the morning was often enough to make me say "no big deal, just feeling a bit lazy, I'll work out tomorrow instead". Once I decided to avoid alcohol almost completely, not only did I start working out more regularly, but that regular workout routine has led to an elevated overall feeling of well-being, such that I avoid alcohol in the same way that I avoid other things that simply make me feel bad, like too much sugar, too much sitting around, etc. I've had people tell me I have a lot of self control, but I don't think that's true. For the most part, I just do what makes me feel good and avoid what makes me feel bad.
20
Research costs money. This piece omits the important source of the financing. The authors need to eat like the rest of us & are certainly influenced by the cash people. Much medical research is contradictory for that reason.
1
Studies that are characterized as "suggestive" when performed on rats with chemically induced impairments are extremely far from being informative for human beings.
In other words, don't try to get Grandma into weight training classes to repair her dementia or forgetfulness.
Instead, take her to see a geriatric neurologist whocan help determine her problem.
Grandma should, like all of us, be getting 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, preferably outside in a clean and pleasant environment, in the company of a family member or friend.
Helping Grandma to find a group of congenial companions to play mind-using games that are within her current capability is good -- like bridge or group crosswords -- there are lot of good games -- along with other brain exercises -- reading and studying new topics.
But weight training? I'd wait for a double-blind clinical trial confirming benefit in humans with real conditions.
1
@Kip Hansen, thought you'd be interested in this, if you happen come back and see this:
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2019/08000/Resistance_Training_for_Older_Adults__Position.1.aspx
@Me ==> Thanks for the link. There is no doubt that exercise -- getting and staying moving -- is good for oldsters.
The Statement Paper from an industry group does provide a lot of links to papers, many from the industry group membership.
There is little to no evidence that particular types of exercise are more effective than other types. In other words, vacuuming the house to rock music or walking one's enthusiastic dog all have been found to provide the same quality and quantity of benefit.
Lonely oldsters , sedentary in old folks homes, are the ones who suffer gthe most.
3
I have weight trained regularly since my 20's and I am now 69. It helped me through college, injuries, operations, cancer and my working life. I start my day with weights before aerobics.
In spite of this, I find myself looking around the basement and still can't remember what it was my wife asked me to bring up.
20
@PI Marine 1970 -Just a little levity here - when I complained to a friend about not remembering what I came into a room to get, my friend told me light heartedly: Think of it this way: as far as we know, a dog feels like that every time he enters a room! It still makes me laugh!
6
Many times per day I go upstairs and then, by the time I get there, I forget the reason why. No worries! I just call it my memory-loss-induced exercise routine.
8
Gee--I thought I was (and still am) pumping iron thrice weekly to prevent osteoporosis, having read that the meds for same can make one's teeth fall out. Big bonus if the brain gets stronger as well! I'm pushing hard on 75, and being old and feeble both physically and mentally would be no fun at all!
17
Despite the yawning sarcasm of the weight-training haters here, I must I agree with the idea. Maybe some are thinking huge muscles, but that is far from the case for most of us. Since I cannot do high-respiratory cardio (e.g., marathons), I started strength-training 30 years ago in my early 40s, going before work early. You can get your heart pumping hard without losing your breath. My professional workday went better. My job went better; attitude was positive and decisions improved. Now retired, I cannot sling the weight as much or as often but still go, gratefully.
Speaking from my own experience, I have known people who needed major surgery and, because they lacked the strength, suffered, and a few who consequently died had some level of dementia. So spare me the sarcasm, pick up something slightly challenging, and give gravity its due place in the universe.
45
On a more serious side, has anyone looked at a group of who have been weight trainers for 5 to 10 years or more to see if the incidence of memory loss is less than those who do little exercise most days?
3
@Paul Raffeld
That is not how you do a 'randomized' study - which is kinda the basic entry-level inquiry.
Groups of people that already lift weights might have other unifying characteristics besides the weight training.
1
Despite reading this article with the anticipation of learning something new and perhaps useful and scholarly, when I got to the comments, I couldn’t have predicted how funny I would find some of them. I could not resist sputtering out loud laughing at the unexpected humor. I think resistance training is going amuck here. Haha. Froot Loops anyone? So thank you for the laughs, NYT readers and thank you for a fascinating informative article, NYT & Gretchen Reynolds.
9
Finally! An explanation of weightlifter's extreme intelligence
16
Will a vegan snack work?
2
Some day they'll figure out how to channel brain growth into physical enhancement; e.g., study calculus to gain muscle and lose fat.
5
Did they feed froot loops to the control group in the same quantities as they did to the exercise group? Perhaps there is a substance in the chemical stew that is froot loops that produces the effect noted.
9
I'm sixty three; have hiked all my life, ran marathons in earlier days (before knee troubles sidelined me) and have worked out with weights since my early twenties. Well and good; I'm still here and life still holds new challenges.
HOWEVER -- If anyone so much as threatens to tape a bag of weighted pellets (however gently) to my rear end, I will turn around and bite them with my very own, very sharp teeth. Froot Loop reward or no Froot Loop reward.
35
The "little old man" across the street is in his late 80s.
He is outdoors all the time, mowing, shovelling, lifting things, chopping wood, trimming trees, painting, etc., and though he is hard of hearing, he is sharp as a tack from exercise and staying active.
He tires me out to just watch him, but what an example he sets!
74
@Rx my 72 husband plays tennis regularly with men who are in their mid to upper 80's. Keep moving!
14
@Mary I’m one of the 80s and it’s very satisfying to be able to compete with the 70s “kids” in singles.
8
@Rx My 85-year-old neighbor walks 5-7 miles a days a day, rain or shine, moves all the garbage cans for the younger neighbors, and also is sharp as a tack.
13
Yet another study confirms that exercise is good. Should we deny humans Froot Loops or sugary drinks if they don’t exercise? Yes indeed!
5
"bags of weighted pellets gently taped to the rats’ rear ends"
You can't make this stuff up.
27
@JND
This somewhat invalidates the experiment, because I bet you the rats were trying to get the weights off the whole time. That problem solving attempt takes cognitive power, and could possibly explain the brain benefit.
A more relevant experiment would be to do this with people. They would not be trying to wiggle out of the weights attached to them, because they understand the scope of the experiment.
2
@JND
beautiful
@JNDu
Far better to have made little weight belts or jackets!
3
These experiments are cruel, pointless, and irrelevant to humans. It's 2019. It's a given that exercising eating healthy vegan foods are beneficial for humans. Surely researchers can find humane and useful things to do with their time.
7
@Heather Moore Not pointless at all. They just accomplished at 1/20th the cost and time that it would take with humans, which now shortens the time to verify it will help humans avoid the horrors of suffering with AD.
10
@Jerry and the rats got to exercise and eat froot loops. What’s the downside to them?
5
@Heather Moore - no, vegan foods aren't and never will be the most beneficial foods for humans. You're welcome to eat them, that's you're right but meat, fish and eggs are the most concentrated foods of all. Not plant food. Humans have survived only because of animal food. If we had to depend just on plants we wouldn't be here. Apparently you've bought into the greatest myth of all.
14
These experiments on rats are unethical. They should have found human volunteers or relied on innovative technology to test with instead of hurting animals.
9
Congratulations to @Bill Harrell as we are the same age and seeming vitality. I exercise daily doing dome strenuous things at each step but I had stopped weightlifting. I eat regular oatmeal with fruit each morning for breakfast. I do use eye-drops for my aging vision and I had be using sleepers so I could rest at night.
I have one problem, my DNA does not allow me to gain weight so I can never really buff up like most people and I refuse to use any growth stimulants. If I over eat, it only results in my going to the bathroom more frequently. My forearms and lower legs will not put on any extra weight no matter what.
As a result of recent bad interactions with a neighbor and this article, I am back to lifting weights. I also started taking Krav Maga training for the world we live in.
4
@WorldPeace2017 If you want to bulk up, cut out oatmeal and fruit and eat protein foods, instead. It gets harder to build muscle as we age, in part because we don't absorb protein the way we used to.
7
these findings equally suggest that Fruit Loops enhance cognitive function.
39
Resistance training seems to be good for people whether it changes their brain chemistry or not. When I stick to a very modest weight program, I can easily tell that I am stronger, feel better and seem to look better too. I like resistance bands because they are easy to use, easy to pack and cannot fall on my toes and injure them.
17
I have attempted to load up my sweet wife with a weighted pack and fruit loops for reward. It did not go well.
78
I do a lot of cardio which has obvious immediate benefits (which too often get ignored in the context of weight loss) but the benefits of weight or resistance training are a great compliment which have their own unique benefit: feeling of health, well being, decreased stress/anxiety and better sleep. Best thing about both is no negative side effects or significant cost.
12
Years ago, in the comments to another NYT article, I discovered the “Shovelglove” exercises (in which you simulate useful activities like shoveling snow or chopping wood with a sweater-wrapped sledgehammer). It’s a great way to get some quick weight and balance exercise, and the fact that you are imagining doing real work helps you be efficient and avoid injury. Great for back strength. So here I am I’ll passing it on as well. (Google it.)
5
@What time is it? On the other hand, I could direct you to my back yard where you could participate in real-life exercises which produce lasting results (retaining wall replaced, underbrush cleared) that can give both a satisfying sense of fatigue and accomplishment.
16
So, if an overweight man does no exercise and eats cheeseburgers and fried chicken, would it seem likely that his cognitive abilities might be impaired? And to what extent?
26
@Karen Dumont. Very likely would lead to cognitively decline which would be noticeable by mid 70s.
7
Very perceptive, but let's not make everything about the Trump.
22
I'm an ACE certified personal trainer. Contrary to what the article says, it's not new news that weight training/lifting helps the brain and cognitive function in humans. This has been well documented in several studies for years.
http://healthland.time.com/2012/07/16/mind-those-reps-exercise-especially-weight-lifting-helps-keep-your-brain-sharp/
55
@Darrell These reports are of conference findings, not peer reviewed research. Moreover, the article notes that previous published findings exist but were tenuous. You need to look at the original literature to understand how scientific knowledge accumulates over time.
12
I am 78 and have been exercising consistently since the 80s when I started modeling. Now that I am retired and have the time, I walk three miles seven days a week, rain or shine, and I work out with a personal trainer once a week. I was 6 feet tall when I was 11 years old, reaching 6’2” at 18. I’ve had both knee and shoulder joints replaced and am strong and stable physically and mentally. It’s true that exercise is the key to a long and viable life experience.
56
@Ardyth, you are an inspiration! Thanks and keep moving! Good on you!
4
I'm 71 years old and once a week I deadlift a total of about 6000 pounds. I've been lifting for 15 years. If anyone wants to test my brain, I'm available lol.
43
6000 pounds?
4
Total. As in he probably does 30 reps at 200 pounds which is very doable.
3
@A e.g. 200 lb x 30 reps.
2
I am 73 and, using dumbbells, I do a series of arm exercises every 2 to 3 days. I like the feeling of being strong and I also like looking better in my clothes. I also work out to various dvds :my favorite is Classical Stretch.
This past week I came across a book I bought many years ago “Gut Busters” (Joyce Vedral).
After the first 3 sessions, I could barely move but after starting to use massage balls, I was ok.
The old adage still applies “ use it or lose it”.
48
Rats! Doity, filty rats are gonna be the thing that gets me to exercise? If there’s one thing I hate woise than exercise, it’s rats!
58
@ET Rats make wonderful pets. Also, we should revere the rats and mice, so many of whom have given their lives for the benefit of mankind.
11
As many of these comments point out, the conclusions are not supported by the results. There are other hypotheses that can explain them.
7
SO stay on the couch munching Cheetos???
2
@Colin Barnett I think most researchers draw tentative conclusions in the context of having knowledge of other studies, and frankly just having knowledge of life. Someone here joked that the cause of the results could equally have been the eating of the fruit loops. I'm sure the person that wrote that comment was fully aware of how inane it was. The bases for drawing conclusions aren't limited to the study itself, as if we have no broader knowledge to bring to bear.
1
How could these researchers separate aerobic activity from non-aerobic weight lifting? The ladder climbing with weights is definitely an aerobic activity. All past research has shown that aerobic activity (high heart rates and heavy breathing) helps the brain. All these researchers have done is reproduced the well known old research. And the claims are completely unsupported that weight lifting alone (without high heart rates and heavy breathing) helps the brain.
13
What ? I weight train every other day and definitely have high heart rate and heavy breathing from it!
4
@Jaque, the article says they measured the increased muscle mass of the rats to make sure the activity was weight bearing. The increased muscle mass shows that the rats were building muscle from weight bearing exercise.
7
@Patricia shulman I weight train 4 or 5 days per week and my heart rate does not get above 70% of my HR max. Your heart rate when weight training depends on many factors including cardiovascular fitness, the % of your 1 rep maximum you are using and the number of reps you are doing.
1
I am late 50s and work out with dumbbells several times weekly. I can't make any claims about benefits to memory but I can tell you how good the lifting makes me feel in terms of overall vitality. And it literally takes just a few minutes each time I do it. Well worth trying.
46
At 74 I started lifting ten pounds weights two years ago doing forty reps lying on the floor lifting arms straight up from sides to center above me, another 40 shoulder upwards, then 40 standing from sides out to shoulder height, and lastly 40 center lifts. These 160 daily reps often lead the blood to course rapidly through my brain's blood vessels causing me to question whether the beneficial cognitive effects follow the increased oxygen/ nutrient flow to small brain cells, growth in nerves, or both. The beneficial effect is not as large as an hour's vigorous daily walk but it's certainly there. A daily hour of Klondyke is another cognition sharpener...
14
Don't force people to exercise with all these studies that amount to nothing but someone trying to fulfill some degree requirement. Exercise is beneficial but unless it is individualized for YOUR body-- maybe your body is obese and with flat feet and internally rotated legs then it is just another thing that won't work.
8
I am 59, I still weight train regularly, as for my brain...... Ah... I forgot what I was going to say...... :)
35
I keep forgetting to work out.
117
Memory retrieval of arbitrary facts that are not linked by chains of reasoning dips with age, but thinking ability need not.
12
Best RX is to do aerobic activity and lift weights for cross training! I wish doctors would ride more RX's, the benefits are endless for body and mind.
12
OK but this is just one study and that's not how science works.
8
So stay seated???
1
@Josiah The article refers to previous studies which were designed similarly and how the current study built on those and informed the current study.
5
If only I could remember where I put my weights......
22
I have no doubt at all that exercise, including weight training, will improve health and will perhaps improve cognitive function. But this study does nothing at all to prove any benefits of weight training. As the article author say, "Rats are not humans." And these rats do not even have "normal" reactions to exercise. They are lab animals whose "normal" behaviors were bred out of them many generations ago.
It would not difficult, nor would it be expensive, to study cognitive function in humans as a result of weight training. And the results of those studies would be useful to humans. I would be very interested to read a well-organized scientific study about the results of weight training in humans. Please write one.
10
Interesting article. I'm not fond of rats but they are rather smart and clever and if weights help their higher cortical prowess then I guess maybe it might improve something up there for me as well. I've lifted free weights since I was in high school as I never cared for the gym thing and at aged 75 I have a decent back, arms, shoulders, etc. I attribute it in large to weights and cardio - the latter, I'd call it jogging but that's a misnomer, more like moving through space slowly. And, I do think this rat study bears consideration for all - including the POTUS who should lift more than the diet cokes he regularly hefts, could hope there might be some positive effect on his cognitive functioning but that's probably wishful thinking.
24
Couldn't it have been the coordination and mental stimulation involved in climbing? We can't know for sure that it was the act of lifting weights (beyond body weight) because they didn't compare weighted ladder climbers against unweighted ladder climbers (or horizontal ladder runners, if lifting of bodyweight could obfuscate results)...
5
Have hit 60.
Lifting weights for maintaining/increasing bone and muscle. Happy to include brain function.
13
Weight training is highly recommended by neuroscientists and psychologists alike. At least, lately.
I'm always fascinated with th workings of th human brain, and now retired I find myself watching a lot of YouTube regarding these features, such as this article. But, weight training is just part of what's been encouraged lately: resistance training of all types have been recommended. For me personally, being a distance runner most of my life, I've found, - a 99% PUSH on an incline (steep or modest) for 60 to 90 seconds at th tail end of a short run - quite beneficial. That's enough resistance to turn a 20 minute run into a full aerobic/anaerobic workout.
Give it a try.
8
@thcatt
I find that running up hills is still just a type of running, like sprinting, and not a good substitute for my gym workouts. At the gym, I can do leg presses, leg curls, glute thrusts, and weighted squats. I find that these exercises strengthen my legs irregardless of any running.
1
Now we know why men are smarter than women. Joking, but this is why all people regardless of age, gender or physical condition should lift. As if the other benefits aren't incredibly beneficial on your life anyways.
8
It wasn’t the weight training that made them smarter.. It was the FROOT LOOPS! Give ‘em oatmeal and they’d be as dumb as the rest of us.
86
This was my thought exactly! Probably the artificial colors in the Froot Loops.
I'd like to see films of the rat workouts;-)
44
@William Stuber We need an app to follow along. Preferably done in seven minutes.
2
Fun study, entertainingly summarized. I particularly liked Mr. Kelty and his colleagues' choice of Froot Loops as incentives for the weightlifting rodents.
14
Froot Loops, not exercise, improve memory. The study could control for the Froot Loop effect by feeding the lazy rats a pile of Froot Loops and feeding a second group of gym rats an omelette.
20
I am someone who weight trains everyday and I have been for the last 2 years. I really relate to this article. It is great to hear this new information. Although the study was performed on rats, it is motivating to know I am not only increasing my muscle size but also my brain too. I love science and find it fascinating how the human body works and this is just another reason why this study blows my mind.
14
The consistent argument is that activities that require your body to self-repair also makes repairs in your brain. That would say that the biologic substances released are non-specific and while they do repair and regenerate muscle tissues, they also repair and regenerate non-muscle tissues as well.
While there will be a rush to the gym as a result of this article, the form of exercise that consistently works best is that form of exercise that you enjoy and don't have to be cajoled to do on a regular basis.
For me it is pedaling a bicycle (mostly outdoors but the trainer allows for miserable weather). That is what stresses and rebuilds my muscles (and other tissues). Pumping pedals, not pumping iron, is what works for me.
I've lost weight, gained stamina, quickly recovered from hip surgeries and despite having the dreaded Alzheimer gene haven't shown any signs of diminished capacity. I guess it works.
31
I am a 63 yo woman. I work out with weights 3x a week and have been doing so for over 5 years. I have noticed an improvement in my memory, I can read, understand and retain information longer, too. I try to use free weights and body weight exercises as much as I can. I also have MS. Get up and move! You will feel good!
107
It's mice, of course, and not humans, but it's hopeful.
So as of today, I will start my regimen of "weight training, accomplished ... with ladders and tiny, taped-on weights".
12
This article confirms my observations of how sitting in front of the TV and being so consumed on our phones affect the functions of our brains. According to this article" When rats lift weights, they gain strength and also change the cellular environment inside their brains, improving their ability to think”. Although in the article it may only state that weight training can possibly benefit the brains health but only in rats; I think that it also improves human brain health. After reading the article it appears that the rats had better brain function and were able to remember or recall information. For example, the rats that had weights on their rear and ran up a latter were able to remember and run through the maze. As opposed to the other rodents who had inflammation couldn't remember and it took them a lot longer to get through the maze, rather than the ones that did exercise. Even though, other rodents demonstrated impaired brain functions they were able to improve their brain function with practice. Without a doubt, weight training improved brain function in rodents. It does provide us with information that can help us understand our brain and its ability to change. So, let’s get out of our sofa and get our brains working by adding weight training to our daily lives and provide our brain with the exercise it needs to continue to think.
9
“Normal” aging adversely affects memory to varying degrees but it can enhance thinking, especially those involving critical reasoning skills. Exercise, good diet and stress management are crucial. At 71 I can attest to those facts. Life experiences make the brain more capable but aging reduces plasticity.
3
I can concur. There is something to keeping your body strong and tight because even some small out of the norm movements can twist or pinch and create a pain or nuisamce and immobilize or slow down someone who is not as strong. Pretty easy to see a stronger person is going to have more systems working better as opposed to a couch potato. Benefit is to look and feel better and when other people notice even better.
2
I've been doing serious workouts with trainers for 2 hours every week for over a year. The results for my aging brain have been really impressive, restoring much memory capacity and mental agility, in addition to physical benefits such as a dramatic improvement in balance. I urge everyone to ask your health insurer to cover, at least partially, training sessions in an approved gym. Much, much better payoff than those ridiculously expensive physical therapy sessions that they cover now.
15
God I hope this is true. Even a little bit. At 58, I powerlift weight most men half my age can't budge. I have been doing this for years. I am not just fit for my age, I am fit for any age. Nevertheless, not a day, a week or a month goes by where I don't notice the continued, inexorable loss of memory and cognitive function. The decline is palpable, like a coming twilight. My anxiety grows in lock step with my loss of details, both little and large. I've gotten the requisite help, consulted the usual professionals. Yet, here I am. I lift because its one of the few physical tasks that hasn't yet failed me. It gives me strength, physical and emotional. I hope that in the end, thats enough.
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@Michael Covarrubias Have you tried looking at your sleep habits? That might help your memory as well.
20
@Michael Covarrubias If you haven’t you should get your apoe4 status checked. If you have one or two, read Dale Bredesen’s book
4
I am glad to see The Times addressing this weighty issue. The evidence seems to weigh in favor of those who prove how smart they are by doing so by exercising intelligently as this article heavily endorses.
8
Admittedly I like to exercise, aerobically and, oh what is that called, where you use your own body weight... Oh never mind. Is it really beneficial to remember every little detail? As I've gotten older, instead of more clutter in my head, I've Maria Kondo's my brain, and gotten wiser. The pressure's off. If I call my sister by my son's name (yup, it happens), whose hurt by that? Is this evidence that I'm less smart, or just more carefree? Sure, I lose my keys every now and then, but these days, instead of panicking, I gently anticipate the joy of discovering them when they turn up. And they always do, as I've learned over time, now that I don't feel the need to retain a gaggle of details. Oh yeah, isometrically.
29
The first two paragraphs are hilarious! Great writing
6
Ha, now we know how Arnold got so smart.
5
My friends gave me grief when I said I was moving to a home in the mountains with a basement laundry. They were modifying their homes with upstairs laundries and first floor master suites.
I’m a bit stiff and don’t love going up and down the stairs many times a day, but I can do it because I do it.
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@GiGi - In your last phrase, you got it.
I work on the 10th floor - 182 stairs above the parking lot, and I take the stairs most days. I can because I do because I can because I do, etc.
I was thinking about putting that on a t-shirt for active older hikers, runners, and cyclists (such as me, and maybe you too), with the words arranged continuously around a circle.
22
Don't be a rat. Pick up a barbell every other day and keep putting more weight on the bar. It works. You don't have to be a roided out crazy person to get significant benefits from barbell training. I've gotten more out of two months with a bar than years and years messing around with machines.
53
@James Loved your comment "You don't have to be a roided out crazy person" ! Made me laugh, made my day!
9
This agrees with my observations in designing senior housing that people who remain in environments where they climb steps and carry groceries, etc., are more likely to maintain their full brain faculties.
Elderly people who move into institutions where they receive three meals a deal cooked by others, there are no stairs, and there is little to engage them socially in their neighborhoods, tend to regress mentally.
These findings should influence how senior housing is designed, built, and managed. Exercise is not something you do in a special room with an "instructor." It's something which needs to occur naturally because it is an essential activity in your living and community environment.
Environments for seniors also need to encourage and even demand interaction with other people. This would have occurred naturally in older villages and cities which were designed before the auto blew everthing far apart. But it is rare in newer cities in the auto-oriented United States. San Francisco and Boston are among the few remaining cities made up of walkable neighborhoods clustered around small local commercial destinations.
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@BSmith Elderly people are more likely to suffer from arthritis, so walking up the stairs is not easy for some. Also, if there are old broken bones, or even sprains, that come back to haunt you, walking up stairs is almost impossible without pain. What is preferable exercise is walking for an extended period of time.
14
@BSmith I like what you are saying, but beyond activities of everyday life, there's also a place for progressive overload with weights, using enough weight to require real strain.
15
@Norma
Walking up stairs is hard on arthritics but they do better than arthritics who don't walk up stairs!
Bannisters which can bear weight on both sides of the steps can be used to take weight off the knees when going up and down stairs. This works. I live in a three story house so know from personal experience!
Moving the joints helps arthritis. Losing weight if you are even a tiny bit overweight is the best single thing you can do for arthritis!
40
Actually, the following statement is not quite true:
“Of course, this was a study with rats, and rats are not people. We rarely weight train by climbing ladders with heavy bags strapped to our rears, for one thing. So, it is impossible to know from this experiment if our brains will respond in quite the same way to lifting weights.”
Doing squats would mimic the same thing the rats were doing when climbing their ladders. And anyone using a stepper/stairclimber, while wearing a weighted vest or leg weights, would be doing the same thing. I've done both. In using a stepper I find that my system adjusts and I have difficulty getting my heart rate up into the desired zone because my fitness has increased. Solution? Start adding weight so your system works a bit harder and you get to the right heart rate zone in an acceptable time frame (that way I spend only about 30 minutes on the stepper instead of having to do 45-60.)
Of course, using a stepper this way is more of an aerobic exercise (albeit with increasing "weight-lifting effects" as you add weights) but it's pretty easy with either a stepper or doing squats to reproduce what the rats were doing climbing their ladders, and exercisers routinely do so.
5
@Paul B
These notes obviously apply only to someone who still has all his knee cartilage. That is not true of most seniors past 65 years of age.
11
@BSmith
Perhaps. I'm about to turn 63 with no sign of that problem. Many of my male relatives were/are walking/running long distances and mountain climbing well into their 90s.
This is a good reason to start using a stepper or doing weights (squats or cleans) earlier in life. Cartilage doesn't have its own blood supply. The only thing that provides nutrients is using (bending) the joint which circulates sinovial fluid over it. And cartilage will become stronger over time (thicken) in response to weight exercise, as will tendons, muscles and even bone.
There are no shortage of doctors who rightly recommend using weightlifting to counter and improve the effects of arthritis. Although you'd need to get evaluated and sometimes things have gone too far.
6
@Paul B
I think you're right. I don't know why researchers don't test people- some normal, some with dementia- to see if progressive weight training would help.
3
Personal testimony: I just turned 77, take no prescription medication; have no aches or pains; play golf, tennis, and do 90- minute workouts 3-4X a week at a gym. I was a jogger for 20 of my middle years, and have done regular moderate weight workouts since my 20's. Though my strength and stamina have gradually declined with the years, I am fit, trim, healthy, and can do anything physical tasks within reason. Others can wait forever for the "final word" on exercise before taking action. I know beyond a doubt what works, and works for me.
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@Bill Harrell
Great job! Congrats on your fitness. I've also been a long-term exerciser and hope in another 10-15 years (and later) to be in your position.
Recent events have made me painfully aware that high fitness levels can change the body's reaction to illness (i.e. it doesn't "look like" you're ill in comparison to the 70% of the populations that is overweight and obese -- big surprise.) And also that fitness can alter the response to medications (i.e. meds become 2-3 times more effective.) And also, that, despite frequent proclamations that people should control their weight and exercise, many doctors don't actually understand points #1 and #2.
Blood tests for folks like us may not look the same as the rest of the population. To ensure that things don't get missed, I've started doing my own regular blood tests and then may have to tell docs what's normal for me (for example, my inflammatory load, or CRP, can rise 10-fold and still be in the "normal" range, which has led to doctors to conclude there was no evidence of a problem because things "look normal.") Obviously, I've done more cardio in the last 20-30 years than even I realized.
I recommend that other exercisers regularly test on their own (a blood test costs $25-35 at the on-line services that contract with Quest and LabCorp.) Know your numbers and you can avoid easy mistakes. Fortunately, my situation did not involve a terminal disease. If it had, I might not be here.
7
Did they test any control groups to see whether the effect was from engaging in a physical activity for the purpose of winning a reward, rather than from "weight training"? (I can't quite tell from the description of the experiment.) Perhaps the effect comes from having a task to think about (climbing a ladder) and a reward to look forward to (fruit loop). I would be more convinced of their conclusions if they'd tested weight-free mice performing the same task, as a control.
9
Although I am a strong supporter of science and research I am taken aback by the seemingly indifferent manner in the way the author speaks of the animals' treatment. Injected with a substance to cause dementia and then dissected to observe their brain cells. I am reminded of, when I was 10 years old, my dad taking me to his workplace to see young monkeys being trained for launch into orbit. The animals were being mildly shocked repeatedly. Fifty years later I can still hear the poor animals screaming.
As intelligent as humans are, can we find no better way to test a hypothesis or seek answers to medical questions?
261
Thank you.
19
@Maxim
We are cruel and "inhuman" humans, the most cruel animals on earth. We "play" with our victims before the coup de gras.
22
@Maxim agreed 100%. Using these innocent animals for testing purposes is inhumane and morally abhorrent. I wish with all of this advanced technology, animals will be spared.
38
I do feel some sort of high after weight lifting, and I go back to the gym to get the same high every time I feel that I have low energy or in a bad mood, how much that effecting my cognitive ability I have no idea, but on occasion I come with some decision when I am in the gym, but still define good decision?!
23
We rarely train by climbing ladders with weights taped to our behinds, to be sure, but we frequently train by attaching backpacks (mainly) to our hips and climb mountains, an activity remarkably similar, even to the extent of also engaging our fore-paws with trekking poles.
78
Like anything we do in life, every action has good and bad and even some ugly.
Weight training is no exception.
If people do it to feel a little better, look better or possibly for the reasons you mention that is fine but it is no miracle cure for anything.
The downside is that it takes time and effort you could be using for something else instead of weight training.
The extreme downside is if you become a gym rat, it will do more harm than good re bad backs, muscles, ligaments etc.
3
@Paul
Kind of reaching for a downside, aren't you? This and a zillion other studies that tell us that real physical fitness (not the count your steps kind) does amazing things for your body and mind. But what is truly amazing is the fact that so few Americans are truly physically fit. If a pill offered half the benefits of vigorous exercise people would insist is was provided free of charge with their health insurance.
51
@Teal-Thank you for your reply. No I am not reaching for a downside, Mother Nature is if you believe in Einstein and God is if you are religious, ie every action has good and bad.
I am not looking to be subjective or fault finding. If physical fitness only had an upside 100% of the world would do it.
That is all I am saying. The only thing as bad as a physical fitness guru (not you) preaching that everybody must become a gym rat to find eternal happiness is the opposite ie do everything to make yourself sick and ruin your life and let the other guy pay for your insurance and funeral.
1
@Paul
Sounds to me like you are reaching for justification of a non-active lifestyle! 'Well, there may be some benefit, but I might get injured and I'd rather spend my time doing something else.'
15
Muscle is now known to be the largest repository for many neuroendocrine hormonal agents, including Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Resistance training induces the release of this agent.
69
Ah,
And I thought all of this early morning pain of getting up, stretching and heading out to the YMCA was to keep this old body going, and, enable me to mow my lawn, change my oil, paint my house, and lift my canoe onto my car.
Now I find it will help me remember who my wife is too?
Well, there is a down side to everything I guess.
:-)
184
The first thought that came to my mind was “muscle memory” :)
23
The researchers should conduct another rat study, one that uses passive exercise such as an electronic muscle stimulator (Slendertone). I've been using a passive exercise device on my abdomen for the past two months, and it seems to be tightening that area.
Many people lack the discipline and desire to lift weights. But they might use passive exercise, especially if it improved brain functioning.
3
@Noodles
Passive strength training would also control for the aerobic benefits of cardiovascular exercise other commenters have alluded to.
3
@Noodles
I've used electrostimulation extensively - in addition to weight training, in order to strengthen injured muscles and loosen tight muscles and increase the strengthening effect from weight training.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have the same overall effects as conventional weight training. I believe that this lack of overall stimulation has to do with the fact that the electrostimulation effect is localized and that there is no input from the central nervous system through the spinal cord. The tremendous release of neurotransmitters and hormones from weight training are probably, in large part, due to the stimulation of the central nervous system.
An easy way to test your hypothesis of electrostimulation possibly having the same cognitive effects as weight training is to run IQ tests on quadraplegics and paraplegics who receive electrostimulation as part of their long-term rehab/physical training.
3
Up until now, no study I've seen has shown significant benefits to weight training. Maybe I still haven't.
This study in mice assumed strength increases from ladder climbing, as a substitute for weight training. For myself, this was the fitness equivalent of using a Versa climber, both strength and aerobic, something I recently had to use as a substitute for my cross country ski erg workout. Even then, whenever I change my aerobic fitness routine the most used muscle group tends to bulk up a bit. It's happened with running and it's happened with rowing, and only my lack of observance explains why I didn't notice it for other sports. It happens for almost any fitness activity and even does so in the short term.
Studies I have seen that did include weight-training usually found no relationship to neurological growth, unlike aerobic activity. Even when looking at measuring outcomes. weight training has mixed benefits, e.g., slower reaction times but an increase in accuracy, unlike aerobic work which increased the speed of reaction time and task accuracy. Also, other studies have shown aerobic work to increase both neurogenesis and measured IQ,
It's not that I don't believe it's possible for weight training to improve intelligence/cognition, but it would rather see strong, solid studies, not something paltry like studies in mice with questionable assumptions.
Better studies exist.
4
I think this study is fine, but not very revealing. Weight training is going to give a cardiovascular workout, just like most other forms of exercise. Therefore, consistent with exercise’s known brain benefits, weight lifting positively impacts brain structure and function. It would have been a huge surprise if they found there was no benefit. That’s why the study was not very revealing. If a study asked whether doing 100 deep knee bends 5 times a day helped the brain, the answer would be the same. The bottom line here is get moving and get your heart rate up as often as possible. But yes, lift some weights to maintain strength, while simultaneously helping your heart and brain.
34
Not sure I agree. The point of the piece is to show that there may be an added benefit to weight training beyond simply the aerobic affects. So don’t simply lift weights because it gets your heart rate up like cardio (which would suggest to people
that you’ll get the same bang for your buck by simply going for a run.) Lift weights because it might have a knock on effect that cardio does not.
23
@Barry
Weight training, especially with free weights, forces the body to adapt to new stresses in ways that highly repetitive cardio exercises don't. If you squat or lift a few extra pounds every time you go to the gym your body will need to grow new muscle to carry the weight and new nerve tissue to assist in balancing the new weight. Five hundred knee bends a day will not produce this effect.
Weight training does have a mild cardio effect and that may contribute to improved brain functioning as well, but it also has important neurological effects that cardio doesn't. The study confirms what many weight trainers have been arguing from anecdotal evidence for some time.
44
@Barry
... and there are all kinds of other artefacts such as getting used to the lab activities, being handled, "test" experience, faster running, etc. Of course, there needs to be some limits on what to "control for". Genericaly, you need a sham ladder climb, whatever that might be.
In this study, there is also the time-course of behaviour which is revealing.
2