Here’s how many daily steps could help slow Alzheimer’s disease

Getting more than 5,000 steps per day could help preserve brain health for older adults at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found.

About 57 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s, which is the most common form of dementia. It’s thought to be caused by the abnormal buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in and around the brain, and it can take years between this early growth and symptoms appearing.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, scientists have been looking for ways to slow its progression – and getting enough exercise appears to be key.

That prompted the US-led research team to track the daily step counts of nearly 300 cognitively healthy older adults who had elevated amyloid levels, putting them at higher risk of Alzheimer’s later on.

Over the 14-year study, more physical activity was linked to slower cognitive and functional decline. That appeared to be due to slower buildup of tau proteins rather than any changes to amyloid levels.

The relationship between slower tau buildup and cognitive decline peaked between 5,001 and 7,500 daily steps, according to the study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Even modest amounts of walking – 3,001 to 5,000 steps per day – were tied to slower tau accumulation and cognitive decline.

The findings “indicate that people who already have early Alzheimer’s disease pathology in their brains may still benefit from taking even modest amounts of activity,” Tara Spires-Jones, director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement.

“On balance, the data in the field indicate that keeping physically active is good for your brain, but is not a guarantee of preventing or slowing dementia,” added Spires-Jones, who was not involved with the study.

The researchers said the lower daily step count could be a “more approachable goal for older sedentary individuals,” particularly because step counts are easy to track with smart watches and other wearable devices.

They noted that more research will be needed to confirm their findings. The study also has some limitations, for example, the fact that it did not take into account other exercises, such as swimming or resistance training.

However, the results are in line with previous studies that have found a relationship between physical activity and brain health.

Last year, for example, researchers found that new dementia patients who maintained an exercise routine had a 29 per cent lower risk of deathin the years following their diagnoses.

“More research, including clinical trials, is needed to see the direct impact of physical activity on preventing and slowing the progression of dementia and on underlying disease causes,” Julia Dudley, research head at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said in a statement. She was not involved with the study.

“But studies like this reinforce that simple changes to our lifestyle could help keep our brains healthier for longer,” Dudley added.