Whether you’re a reluctant runner or a fully signed-up gym-goer, there is more good news for exercisers – and this time, it’s about the protective powers of working up a sweat.
Dr Trisha Pasricha, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and columnist for The Washington Post, shared the results of a study that showed vigorous exercise could cut your risk of Parkinson’s… and as little as could be enough.
‘Vigorous exercise has been shown to both lower the risk of ever developing Parkinson’s disease but also to delay progression in people who are already diagnosed,’ she said on Instagram. ‘That is a huge deal! There are very few drugs that do both of those things for any disease.’
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The study of over 200,000 men and women in their 30s suggested those who did one to three hours of vigorous exercise per week had a lower risk of getting Parkinsons later in life – 17% lower for men, 39% lower for women. At seven or more hours a week, men saw a 30% lower risk and women 53%.
Dr Pasricha recommends picking an exercise you enjoy that makes you sweat… and that you can practice consistently. ‘Not stretching, not a leisurely walk,’ she advises. ‘All of these are great for other health reasons but not for reducing your risk of Parkinson’s.’
What counts as vigorous exercise? Anything that ‘helps you reach 80% of your age-appropriate maximum heart rate; biking, swimming, jogging, playing tennis.’ In short – you should be exercising hard enough that you can’t carry on a conversation comfortably.
According to Parkinson’s UK, research has also found that physical activity comes with many benefits for anyone living with Parkinson’s, from reducing movement symptoms to improving overall mental and physical wellbeing. ‘Depending on what type of exercise you do and how long you do it for, the brain can be pushed to levels where new pathways and connections to different areas of the brain are created,’ says Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy OBE, independent physiotherapy consultant.
‘New blood vessels form, bringing in a fresh supply of nutrition while clearing away unneeded waste, keeping the brain clean and efficient. Hormones that help with healing and learning can also be produced by more vigorous types of exercise.’ While the causes of Parkinson’s are complex, like most health conditions, having a healthy and well-balanced diet and staying active might help people stay well for longer.
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