Exercise

Sports improve mental performance

Exercise improves recovery from stress and creates conditions for neurogenesis. In the body, during physical activity, the following proteins are produced that are involved in restoration processes:

• insulin-like growth factor-1 (IFR-1)
• Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
• fibroblast growth factors (VEGFs)

All this enhances the working potential of our brain.

Brain protection as we age

The most effective way to maintain brain health as you age turned out to be something you might never have thought of - physical activity.

Neurons need support to do their job properly, and an aging circulatory system can cause a decrease in the supply of blood that supplies the brain with oxygen and glucose.

Regular exercise, which increases heart rate, is the only and most useful way to support your cognitive abilities in old age.

People who regularly exercise in middle age are three times less likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease after the age of 60 than those who did not exercise at all. Even starting classes after the age of 50, you can reduce this risk by half.

It is enough to study for half an hour, several times a week.

History

2023

Physical exertion provokes strokes when carotid arteries are severely narrowed

In mid-June 2023, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur discovered that an increased pulse could trigger a stroke in patients with severe blockage of the carotid arteries. In contrast, for healthy patients and those with slightly blocked arteries, exercise is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood flow.

According to AIP Publishing, the carotid arteries supply blood to the tissues of the face and brain and are located on both sides of the neck. When fat, cholesterol and other particles accumulate on the inner walls of the carotid arteries, they form a plaque that narrows the artery. Such constriction is called stenosis, and although it can be very difficult to detect early stages of plaque accumulation, stenosis is dangerous in that it restricts blood flow to the brain. Without the necessary blood, the brain lacks oxygen, and the patient has a stroke. In healthy patients, an increased heart rate increases and stabilizes the resistance force that blood exerts on the vessel wall, reducing the risk of stenosis. But for patients who already have stenosis, this may not be so useful.

Increased pulse may trigger stroke in patients with severe blockage of carotid arteries

Intensive exercise has adverse effects on patients with moderate or higher levels of stenosis. They significantly increase shear stress in the stenosis zone, which can lead to stenosis rupture. This ruptured plaque can then enter the brain and its blood supply, causing an ischemic stroke, said study author from the Indian Institute of Technology Somnath Roy.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology used a specialized computational model to model blood flow in the carotid arteries in three stages of stenosis: without blockage, with a mild 30% blockage and with a moderate 50% blockage. They compared the effects of exercise-induced heart rate, 140 beats per minute, and resting heart rates of 67 and 100 beats per minute. As expected, for healthy to moderate cases, exercise status improved the health of the simulated carotid artery. However, the results for moderate blockage were alarming.

An increased heart rate could increase the chance of another stenosis forming, the researchers said. The risk of developing stenosis and stroke depends on many factors, including age, lifestyle and genetics, but scientists recommend regularly checking the condition of the arteries of people engaged in intensive training. They also recommend a carefully prescribed workout regimen for people with moderate to severe stenosis or a history of stroke.^[1]

Physical labour boosts male sperm count by 50%

In late February 2023, scientists at Harvard University and MIT published a study that found men with physically demanding jobs had nearly 50% higher sperm counts than their colleagues working in the office. Read more here.

2022: A drug has been created that simulates the effect of physical activity

In mid-September 2022, researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University reported successful reproduction of a compound that induces calcium and stimulates muscle cell growth. A process that occurs naturally in healthy adults as a result of exercise. Read more here.