Exercise
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Goal: Exercise
Approach: 30-60 minutes per day, 4-6 days per week.
Dr Bredesen emphasizes exercise in his protocol to:
- reduce, even reverse, hippocampal atrophy in the brain
- Increase BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) [|BDNF ]
- Work hand in hand with diet and fasting to create ketones as an alternative source of energy for the brain
Dr. Bredesen also stated that his protocol recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise, at least 4 days per week [3][4][5]. He recommended that the target heartrate should be around 70% of your average maximum heartrate for your age, as shown in this table [5]:
| Age | Target Heart Rate Zone 50-85% | Average Maximum Heart Rate, 100% |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 100-170 beats per minute | 200 beats per minute |
| 30 years | 95-162 beats per minute | 190 beats per minute |
| 35 years | 93-157 beats per minute | 185 beats per minute |
| 40 years | 90-153 beats per minute | 180 beats per minute |
| 45 years | 88-149 beats per minute | 175 beats per minute |
| 50 years | 85-145 beats per minute | 170 beats per minute |
| 55 years | 83-140 beats per minute | 165 beats per minute |
| 60 years | 80-136 beats per minute | 160 beats per minute |
| 65 years | 78-132 beats per minute | 155 beats per minute |
| 70 years | 75-128 beats per minute | 150 beats per minute |
There are many fitness products that will track your average heartrate for you during an exercise session.
For more see:
- Check out Exercise - Types, Lengths, and Benefits for more detailed discussion on different types of exercise with benefits and risks for ApoE4s, beyond the recommendations of Dr Bredesen's protocol
- Wikipedia: Neurobiological Effects of Physical Exercise.
- Wikipedia: Hippocampus.
References
- [1] Rivastigmine transdermal patch and physical exercises for Alzheimer's disease: a randomized clinical trial
- [2] Physical activity reduces hippocampal atrophy in elders at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease
- [3] YouTube: "Dale Bredesen Alzheimer's QnA": At 8 minutes and 45 seconds into the video, he answers a question about the optimal amount of exercise.
- [4] Google "maximum heart rate for your age" to get a table for the maximum heartrate for your age.
- [5] American Heart Association: Target Heart Rates.
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