A new study suggests that just six minutes of intense exercise per day can be useful in protecting against Alzheimer’s.
In a study conducted at the University of Otago in New Zealand, scientists found that small periods of vigorous physical activity can delay brain weakening by increasing the duration of a healthy brain.
In the study, the researchers aimed to find the best way to increase the production of a specific protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
This protein is thought to be important for promoting the brain’s ability to create, learn, and remember and make new connections.
Animal studies found that increasing the amount of BDNF improves brain structure and memory, while improving the ability to learn and think.
In the study, participants used four different methods to increase the production of this protein. During this time, the participants were closely examined.
These procedures included 20 hours of starvation, 90 minutes of low-intensity cycling, six minutes of strenuous exercise consisting of 40 seconds of cycling and 20-second breaks, or both starvation and exercise.
The results, published in the journal Physiology, showed that short-term but strenuous exercise was the most effective way to increase BDNS. This method produced five times more protein than other methods.
The reason for this could possibly be an increase in the number of platelets due to intense exercise that stores large amounts of protein, the researchers said.
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