Beyond muscles: how strength training directly improves brain cognitive capabilities
New studies indicate that practicing muscular resistance exercises may be essential for preserving and safeguarding brain health as the aging process progresses.
This type of physical activity contributes to good brain function through several ways, such as optimizing blood circulation in the organ and inducing the release of hormonal substances that promote cognitive activity.
To take advantage of the possible gains in the cognitive aspect provided by strengthening, it is recommended to carry out at least two sessions per week, covering the body’s large muscle groups.
The scientific community has long recognized the positive effects of physical activity on both the physical and mental levels. However, while aerobic modalities such as walking or running have historically dominated the focus on brain impact, strength training has gained prominence for its cognitive advantages.
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In fact, a growing volume of studies shows that strength training — which includes movements such as squats and lifting weights — offers protection and strengthening to the brain through multiple pathways, from influencing blood circulation to indirectly improving crucial aspects such as sleep quality and stress reduction. The big advantage is that you don’t need to spend hours in the gym every day to get these results.
As Teresa Liu-Ambrose, director of the Aging, Mobility and Cognitive Health Laboratory at the University of British Columbia, explains, a significant “paradigm shift” has occurred in the understanding of which types of physical exercise have been proven to support brain health. “The research has really expanded the view that exercise gains are not just restricted to aerobic training,” he said.
Liu-Ambrose’s team led several investigations that contributed to this new insight. A study carried out in 2015 revealed that women aged 65 to 75 years, who performed strength training once or twice a week for 52 weeks, demonstrated better performance in executive functions. Such improvements were maintained for one year after the end of the intervention period. The expert highlights that “executive function is one of the cognitive fields that respond most to exercise, and directly influences our daily autonomy.”
The same research indicated that, when compared to individuals who engaged in balance and toning exercises twice a week, those who practiced strength training at the same frequency showed improvements in memory, physical strength and less atrophy of the cerebral white matter.
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The thesis that muscle strengthening can impact the brain gained even more support with a 2023 meta-analysis. The study observed that these types of exercise significantly increase the levels of IGF-1 — a hormone crucial for the growth and restoration of brain cells — in middle-aged and elderly adults, especially when practiced approximately three times a week.
Although the aforementioned investigations have focused on individuals with normal cognitive health, certain analyzes indicate that strength training can also bring benefits to people who already have some level of cognitive impairment.
When trying to elucidate why strength training is beneficial for the brain, it is clear that there is no single explanation. “There are multiple pathways involved”, points out Liu-Ambrose.
One of the aspects of greatest interest to researchers is the function of myokines, hormones released during exercise, according to Liu-Ambrose. “These substances travel through the body, reach the brain and perform essential roles, such as stimulating the formation and survival of new neuronal cells”, explains the specialist.
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Furthermore, she emphasizes that myokines have the ability to protect the brain against inflammatory processes. This is a crucial point, given that inflammation can accelerate the degeneration of neurons, which can contribute to the emergence of cognitive deficits and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
In the short term, physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, generating a possible immediate cognitive improvement, according to Liu-Ambrose’s observation.
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Strength training, as well as other types of exercise, also has an indirect influence on brain health, as it helps prevent conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Both conditions are harmful to blood vessels and increase the risk of dementia over the years. More broadly, regular exercise can improve mood, sleep quality and reduce stress levels, all of which have a direct positive impact on brain function.
To date, there are no precise guidelines on what would be the ideal load or the exact number of repetitions to be performed for strength training to bring specific benefits to the brain.
However, in the 2015 study led by Liu-Ambrose, participants followed a two-set protocol with six to eight repetitions, a scheme intentionally designed to be demanding. The researcher emphasizes that the level of effort is the most relevant factor in determining whether muscle strengthening can provide benefits to the brain.
The balance point, added the specialist, is when physical activity is challenging, but without compromising the correct execution of movements.
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The American College of Sports Medicine recommends carrying out at least two weekly strength training sessions, focusing on all major muscle groups.
This periodicity also proves advantageous for brain health, according to Liu-Ambrose. Although participants in his lab reported cognitive improvements with weekly sessions, the group that trained less frequently reported more muscle soreness. This, in turn, can undermine regularity, creating a “weekend warrior effect,” as she described it.
The majority of any muscle-strengthening program should incorporate compound exercises, those that engage multiple joints or broad muscle groups, such as squats, lunges, and rows.
It is essential, however, to constantly adapt and progress in your exercise routine, ensuring that your muscles continue to be stimulated, as recommended by Liu-Ambrose. Every four to six weeks, it is advisable to reevaluate the need to increase the load or number of repetitions.
