Study Physical fitness effectively protects against dementia

How does women's fitness affect the risk of dementia??

Dementia is a disease that affects more and more people around the world. Unfortunately, there is no cure for those affected. Researchers now noted some interesting effects of physical fitness related to dementia in women:

• Physical fitness protects women from the development of dementia.
• Extremely fit women had a 88 percent reduced risk of developing dementia.
• When physically fit women develop dementia, the disease does not appear until years later.
• Cardiovascular fitness in middle age seems to delay or even completely prevent the development of dementia
• Cardiovascular processes in middle age increase the risk of dementia later in life.

The scientists from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found in their recent research that physical fitness can protect women from the onset of dementia. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Neurology".

Exercises are healthy for the human body. An increased physical fitness seems to protect women even from dementia. (Image: Kzenon / fotolia.com)

Extremely fit women developed 90 percent of rare dementia

Every year many men and women fall ill with dementia. However, women with high physical fitness seem to be better protected from the disease in middle age. The researchers found that these women are nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia compared to moderately fit women. The study controlled women's cardiovascular fitness through a stress test on an exercise bike.

Physically fit women fall ill much later to dementia

When women with high physical fitness develop dementia, they develop the disease on average 11 years later (for example, at the age of 90 instead of 79), compared to less fit women, say the experts.

Further research is needed

"The results are interesting because improving cardiovascular fitness in middle age can delay or even prevent the development of dementia," study author Dr. Helena Hörder from the University of Gothenburg in a press release. However, the current study found no cause and effect relationship between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, just an association. Further research is now needed to determine how fitness can positively affect the risk of dementia and the age at which increased fitness is most important.

Physicians examined 191 female subjects

For the study, the physicians examined a total of 191 women with a mean age of 50 years. These were asked to take part in a stress test on an ergometer until they were physically exhausted. So the researchers wanted to measure the so-called maximum cardiovascular capacity. The average peak load was measured at 103 watts.

How did the women perform in the stress tests??

40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level (peak load of 120 watts or higher). A total of 92 participants were in the middle fitness category and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a maximum workload of 80 watts or less. When women discontinued their stress tests for high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems, they were also assigned to this lowest category of fitness.

How many women developed dementia?

During the 44-year period, the participating women were screened for dementia six times. During this time 44 subjects developed dementia. Only five percent of high-performing women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of moderately fit participants and 32 percent of low-fitness women. Highly fit women were 88 percent less likely to develop dementia compared to moderately fit women.

Sporting exercises can still be fun in old age and in addition to maintain good health. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

study results

The results of the study showed the following results in the development of dementia:

• 5 percent of the highly fit women developed dementia,
• 25 percent of medically fit women fell ill with dementia,
• 32 percent of low-fitness women developed the condition,
• Forty-five percent of the women who were unable to complete the test suffered from dementia.

Cardiovascular processes in middle age increase dementia risk

The results suggest that negative cardiovascular processes may occur in middle age, potentially increasing the risk of dementia much later in life Hörder.

What were the limitations of the investigation??

The study's limitations included the relatively low number of women affected, all from Sweden, so the findings may not be transferable to other populations, adds Drs. Hörder added. In addition, the fitness level of women was measured only once so that changes in fitness were not recorded over time. (As)