What Strength Training Means for Alzheimers Risk
We all have our reasons for resistance training, whether it be aesthetics, strength, or bone mineral density. Sometimes we forget about the additional benefits we can gain from exercise that will help us as we age.
We often think of strength training as being about our muscles, bones, and mobility. More research has shown a connection between muscular strength and brain health too.
A client recently told me that their reason for strength training was to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's, having experienced its effects first hand with a close family member. This got me thinking - how effective is strength training for reducing the risk of Alzheimer's? And what are the mechanisms behind this?
Large population studies involving hundreds of thousands of people found that individuals with higher levels of physical activity and greater muscle strength have a 25–40% lower risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease compared with the least active groups (1, 2, 5)
Grip Strength: More Than Just a Measure of Muscle
Grip strength is commonly used by researchers as a simple marker of overall muscle health because it reflects broader strength and physical function, and lower grip strength is also associated with factors such as frailty and poor health as we age (2,3,4,5). In a large UK Biobank study of 148,659 adults aged 60+, those in the highest third for grip strength had a 26% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared with those in the lowest third (2). They also had a 31% lower risk of developing dementia overall (2). Even after researchers account for lifestyle factors, physical activity, medication and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s (5).
Strength training may support the brain through several pathways (6):
Improving blood sugar control
Improving cardiovascular health
Reducing chronic inflammation
Increasing chemical signals from working muscles that help support the health and function of brain cells (myokines - BDNF, IGF-1, irisin)(6).
Protecting the Brain's Connections
Research has also found benefits to areas involved in thinking and memory, including the hippocampus, and evidence suggests resistance training may help preserve the brain's white matter. White matter is the brain tissue made of nerves that allow different areas of the brain to send signals to each other. In one randomised controlled trial, as little as twice-weekly resistance training in older women reduced white matter loss over two years compared with a control group, promoting memory and increased muscle power, whilst preserving the brain’s structure as participants aged (7).
Though there is always more research to be done, it is encouraging to read that continuing twice-weekly strength training positively impacts neurological health. While no exercise can guarantee that someone will avoid Alzheimer’s disease, the evidence suggests that regular strength training, alongside aerobic activity and a healthy lifestyle, is a meaningful investment in long-term brain health as well as physical health.