Cranking out a cardio and total body strength training workout on the Excy portable exercise bike may help you feel trimmer, happier, and more focused, but you also have another reason to exercise: Your Brain! That’s right, exercise protects your brain.
The team over at Bioscience Technology highlighted the results of a recent study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, which found that poor cardiovascular fitness in middle age is associated with having a smaller brain 20 years later. The new research suggest that people who are fit in their 40s seem to retain more brain volume two decades later and also perform better on decision-making tests. We’ve highlighted our own thoughts on the differences in working out in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, but now add protecting your brain for the long haul to the list!
In a prepared statement, study author Nicole Spartano, a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University School of Medicine said “I think many people will be surprised to learn that their fitness levels at midlife may impact brain health as they move into older adulthood. We were not surprised by these findings because there is growing evidence that many behaviors and risk factors in middle age may have consequences to brain health in later life.”
Brain shrinkage is a natural function of aging, but those in the study who performed poorly on a test of cardiovascular fitness, as well as those whose blood pressure and heart rate went up at a higher rate during exercise, were more likely to have smaller brains 20 years later, which is associated with cognitive decline and an increased risk for dementia.
Results were analyzed using estimated exercise capacity, which was based on the length of time people could run on the treadmill before reaching a certain heart rate. Participants reached an average estimated exercise capacity of 39 mL/kg/min, also known as VO2, which is the maximum amount of oxygen the body is able to use in one minute.
Spartano said she could not recommend an optimal level of fitness to achieve better brain aging based on the study results. But, people should strive for exercise “that will get the heart pumping every day,” Masdeu suggested.
To improve cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association suggest at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember. You will also experience benefits even if you divide your time into two or three segments of 10 to 15 minutes per day. As we highlighted in our Excy post “Beauty Work and Celebrity Bodies: Illusion vs. Truth,” heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, so exercise for your heart and your brain!
The Excy Portable Total Body Exercise Bike
We’ve worked hard to cater the Excy cycling system to those who want more exercise in their life and it’s nothing short of a cardio, range of motion, and strength training breakthrough for the whole body anywhere, anytime!
Used together, the portable Excy Cycle and patent-pending Excy Keeper combines the lower body workout of a recumbent stationary exercise bike, plus the calorie scorching and strength training power of an upper body ergometer. In a smooth, low impact portable system, Excy can be used to burn more calories than an high-end elliptical machine, stationary bike, or treadmill. Not only is Excy conveniently available to help you reach your exercise goals on your schedule at home, work, or on the go, it provides a unique broad range of versatile workouts and resistance levels to burn calories and tone muscles that everyone in your family will appreciate.
Watch the video to see how it works!
We welcome the privilege to help everyone start connecting more exercise to their life anywhere, anytime! Become an Excy Friend to get the scoop on pre-sale orders.