{"id":363403,"date":"2025-11-08T01:05:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T01:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/363403\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T01:05:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T01:05:18","slug":"why-walking-more-can-lower-your-risk-of-alzheimers-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/363403\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Walking More Can Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">     New research suggests that taking 3,000 steps or more a day can lower the risk of cognitive decline, even in people who are high risk. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">     More steps had even greater benefits. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">     Researchers discovered that a walking habit could slow cognitive decline by years. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Alzheimer\u2019s disease is a complicated condition and scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what causes it. While the exact reason why someone develops Alzheimer\u2019s disease seems to come down to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nia.nih.gov\/health\/alzheimers-causes-and-risk-factors\/what-causes-alzheimers-disease\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.nia.nih.gov\/health\/alzheimers-causes-and-risk-factors\/what-causes-alzheimers-disease\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"mix\" data-node-id=\"2.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">mix<\/a> of genetics, environmental factors, and bad luck, new research suggests that reaching a certain step count as you age can help to lower your risk of cognitive decline. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The study, which was published in <a href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1576256&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41591-025-03955-6\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-025-03955-6&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762262201513000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2wtWodwUZbN1aTo8MbRI3C\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-025-03955-6\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Nature Medicine\" data-vars-ga-product-id=\"eef2a1b8-12ab-4585-93bc-b8f34202ed27\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-node-id=\"3.1\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-025-03955-6\" data-product-url=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-025-03955-6\" data-affiliate=\"true\" data-affiliate-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1576256&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41591-025-03955-6\" data-affiliate-network=\"{&quot;afflink_redirect&quot;:&quot;\/_p\/afflink\/zFH0\/nature-s-articles-s41591-025-03955-6&quot;,&quot;site_id&quot;:&quot;d55f98dc-cbd6-4679-ae11-243969f8c772&quot;,&quot;network&quot;:{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Skimlinks&quot;}}\" data-vars-ga-product-price=\"$0.00\" data-vars-ga-product-retailer-id=\"8132d00e-0b6e-49e5-b46b-9251d286d3b6\" data-vars-ga-link-treatment=\"(not set) | (not set)\" class=\"body-link product-links css-inlxvj e1aq0z090\">Nature Medicine<\/a>, analyzed data from 296 people between the ages of 50 and 90 who participated in the Harvard Aging Brain Study, which tracks brain changes in older adults. All of the participants were in good cognitive health at the start of the study. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The researchers conducted PET brain scans to measure the participants\u2019 amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles (both are hallmarks of Alzheimer\u2019s disease). They also used waistband pedometers to track their physical activity and did cognitive assessments on average 9.3 years later. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The researchers discovered that people who had higher step counts also had lower rates of cognitive decline. Exercise seemed to impact the buildup of tau in the brain: Those who had higher step counts and elevated levels of amyloid-beta at the start of the study also had a slower buildup of tau. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"7\" class=\"body-tip css-19jy3s emevuu60\"><strong data-node-id=\"7.0\">Meet the experts<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.massgeneral.org\/doctors\/23351\/wai-ying-yau\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.massgeneral.org\/doctors\/23351\/wai-ying-yau\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, M.D\" data-node-id=\"7.2\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, M.D<\/a>., study co-author and a cognitive neurologist in the Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil, D.O\" data-node-id=\"7.4\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Clifford Segil, D.O<\/a>., a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; <a href=\"https:\/\/medsites.vumc.org\/person\/evan-brittain-md-msci\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/medsites.vumc.org\/person\/evan-brittain-md-msci\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Evan Brittain, M.D.\" data-node-id=\"7.6\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Evan Brittain, M.D.<\/a>, associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Ultimately, walking 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day seemed to slow down the progression of Alzheimer\u2019s disease in people who were at a higher risk of developing the disease. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"9\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The impact was significant, too. At-risk people who walked 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day saw cognitive decline that was delayed by three years. Those who logged 5,000 to 7,500 steps a day had cognitive decline delayed by seven years. On the flip side, people who were sedentary had a faster buildup of tau proteins in the brain and faster declines in cognition and daily functioning. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"10\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">What\u2019s behind this? Doctors explain.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"11.0\">Why might 3,000+ steps a day lower your risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">There are likely a few things driving this, according to doctors. The biggest reason that people showed signs of cognitive decline in the study seemed to be linked to the buildup of tau plaques in the brain, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.massgeneral.org\/doctors\/23351\/wai-ying-yau\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.massgeneral.org\/doctors\/23351\/wai-ying-yau\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, M.D\" data-node-id=\"12.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, M.D<\/a>., study co-author and a cognitive neurologist in the Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology. But exercise seems to help combat the buildup of those plaques.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cExercise tends to bring down inflammation, and inflammation is an important part of Alzheimer\u2019s disease progress and process,\u201d Dr. Yau says. \u201cBy decreasing inflammation, it could have an impact on how tau chemically changes and then tends to aggregate and clump together to form these deposits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Exercise is also good for cardiovascular health, points out <a href=\"https:\/\/medsites.vumc.org\/person\/evan-brittain-md-msci\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/medsites.vumc.org\/person\/evan-brittain-md-msci\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Evan Brittain, M.D.\" data-node-id=\"14.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Evan Brittain, M.D.<\/a>, associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. \u201cRegular walking improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, and enhances metabolic health, all of which support brain function,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Being physically active may also promote neuroplasticity, which is the brain\u2019s ability to change and adapt. \u201cThat could slow the buildup of harmful proteins central to Alzheimer\u2019s pathology,\u201d Dr. Brittain says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">While the idea that exercise is good for the brain isn\u2019t new, the concept of walking 3,000+ steps to reduce or slowing brain tau build-up is, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil, D.O\" data-node-id=\"16.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Clifford Segil, D.O<\/a>., a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"17\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cThis is a novel idea,\u201d he says. \u201cHow walking can [impact] an aging brain protein needs to be evaluated.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"18.0\">Can other forms of exercise help, too?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">While this particular study just looked at step count, Dr. Yau says it\u2019s likely that other types of exercise could be beneficial, too. \u201cThe beauty of using a pedometer is that it\u2019s easy to understand and accessible,\u201d she says. \u201cThe limitation is that we\u2019re not capturing some of these other non-step forms of exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Dr. Brittain agrees. \u201cThe key factor is sustained movement that raises heart rate and engages large muscle groups,\u201d he says. \u201cBiking, swimming, or even brisk household activity could all confer similar benefits.&#8221;<br data-node-id=\"20.1\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"21.0\">More movement is better.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"22\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Dr. Yau points out that her research found that the benefits of exercise on tau buildup plateaued after 7,500 steps a day. But she also says that more work needs to be done to tease out why that might be the case. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"23\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Still, \u201cmore exercise is likely better,\u201d Dr. Brittain says. Exercising as you age is also good for your heart and brain, Dr. Segil says. \u201cWeight bearing exercises maintain bone density, lubricate our joints, and maintain muscle mass as we age,\u201d he says. \u201cCardiovascular exercises maintain our hearts and increase blood flow to our brains.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"24\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">But Dr. Brittain says it\u2019s \u201cencouraging\u201d that walking lower amounts, like 3,000 to 5,000 steps seems to matter for brain health. <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"25.0\">Other ways to lower your Alzheimer\u2019s disease risk<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"26\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Again, researchers are still exploring why some people develop Alzheimer\u2019s disease and others don\u2019t. But there are some general recommendations for what you can to do try to lower your risk.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"27\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cThere has been enough evidence so far that exercise is beneficial for health in general, including brain health and cognitive health,\u201d Dr. Yau says. \u201cWe\u2019re highlighting that exercise can affect tau [accumulation]. We hope this provides extra motivation to some people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"28\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Consistency is key, according to Dr. Brittain. \u201cDaily movement, even light walking, can improve both heart and brain health,\u201d he says. \u201cYou don\u2019t need a perfect routine. What matters is making physical activity a regular part of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"29\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Doing your best to prevent and manage diabetes, manage your blood pressure, prevent or correct hearing loss, and limit or avoid alcohol and smoking may also help, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alzheimers-dementia\/prevention\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alzheimers-dementia\/prevention\/index.html\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\" data-node-id=\"29.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC). <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"30\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Dr. Yau stresses that you don\u2019t need to suddenly become a marathoner to lower your risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and cognitive decline. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a difference in our participants with even slightly more activity a day,\u201d she says. \u201cEven a little bit helps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New research suggests that taking 3,000 steps or more a day can lower the risk of cognitive decline,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":363404,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[3178,176134,1201,3181,210,2875,176133,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-363403","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-e4efa47f-dcde-4aed-9dfd-4ddc588c7cb2","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-hasproduct-true","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-us","14":"tag-shorttitle-this-step-count-can-keep-you-mentally-sharp","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115511396148083822","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=363403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/363404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=363403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=363403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=363403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}