(Australia-NewsWire.Com, November 14, 2012 ) Melbourne, Australia - Working out is no longer simply about looking better, according to new research it can apparently make you smarter.
The Canadian Cardiovascular Congress heard Monday that a group of previously sedentary adults improved their ability to think, recall information, and make quick decisions after taking on a four-month exercise regimen.
“If you talk to people who exercise, they say the feel sharper,” said Dr. Martin Juneau, director of prevention at the Montreal Heart Institute and part of the pilot study team. “Now we’ve found a way to measure that.”
The study looked at adults with the average age of 49 who were overweight and inactive.
After implementing initial cognitive function measurements, body composition statistics, blood flow of the brain, cardiac output, and maximum ability to tolerate exercise, the subjects began a twice-a-week routine involving exercise bikes and circuit training.
After the four-month period had elapsed, the subjects were weighed, their body mass index and fat mass were calculated, and all had significantly lower numbers as would be expected. The average had 15% increase in capacity for exercise.
The most exciting finding, according to Juneau, was that the cognitive ability of the individuals had increased.
He stated that the improvements were proportional to changes in exercise capacity and blood weight. The more exercise done, the sharper one became (on average).
“A decline in cognitive function is a normal part of aging (and) that drop can be worse for people who have coronary disease,” says Juneau. “It’s reassuring to know that you can at least partially prevent that decline by exercising and losing weight.”
Dr. beth Abramson, Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson, stated that 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week can make the difference in risks associated with heart disease and stroke, along with these bonuses in cognitive retention.
“There are many benefits of exercise . . . we know it can make us feel better,” says Abramson. “(The findings) suggests it can make us ‘think better’ as well.”
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