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3,000 steps a day slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease

2025-11-04 21:06:00, Shëndeti CNA

A new study found that taking just 3,000 to 5,000 steps each day can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in people at increased risk by up to three years. The study, published in Nature Medicine, included elderly patients who had biological signs of the disease but not cognitive symptoms.

Researchers also found that taking 5,000 to 7,000 steps each day slowed cognitive decline by 7 years, illustrating how exercise can benefit the brain, according to Nature.

“The very encouraging conclusion is that even a little exercise seems to help,” said Dr. Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, a neurologist at Mass General Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the study’s first author. She added that her research shows that you don’t need to walk 10,000 steps a day to get the cognitive benefits of walking.

The 14-year study included 300 participants aged 50 to 90, some of whom had high levels of amyloid, a protein that forms toxic plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Financial Times. The more active participants who had amyloid plaques had slower cognitive decline and a slower buildup of tau during the study in which they were closely monitored. Tau is a protein found in neurons that forms tangles inside brain cells, disrupting communication and contributing to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients.

However, physical activity did not slow the buildup of amyloid, but experts say tau appears to play a more direct role in cell damage and death. The study also showed that the cognitive benefit of exercise seems to plateau between 5,001 and 7,500 steps each day.

"We're all working on better treatments, better medications, but we can't underestimate the value of these lifestyle factors that people can implement on their own to protect their brain health," Yau said.

Nearly 7 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease in the U.S., and that number is projected to double by 2060. The disease is among the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is growing evidence that exercise is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, along with other lifestyle factors, such as diet. The new study adds to that research, and while it doesn't answer exactly why exercise reduces tau buildup and slows cognitive decline, Yau suggests that increased blood flow to the brain may play a role./ CNA