Promising new research indicates that aiming for 5,000 steps a day could significantly delay the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease. This finding offers hope in the fight against the leading cause of dementia.

A team of scientists in the United States conducted a study involving nearly 300 adults. Their observations revealed that participants who achieved the daily step count experienced a delay in cognitive decline by up to three years. Furthermore, these individuals showed a reduced spread of tau, a toxic brain protein linked to Alzheimer’s, within their brains.

The accumulation of tau, along with another protein called amyloid, can lead to the formation of plaques and tangles in the brain. This process is believed to be a key factor behind the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The research highlighted that the most significant benefits were observed among adults who consistently reached between 5,000 and 7,500 steps each day.

Experts have hailed these findings as ‘important,’ suggesting that even modest levels of exercise could be advantageous for individuals showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. This study underscores the potential of physical activity as a simple yet effective strategy to combat the progression of this debilitating disease.

Experts, who labelled the findings ‘important’, said they also suggested that people who have the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s in their brains, may benefit from modest amounts of exercise to slow down the disease. 

Dr Jasmeer Chhatwal, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard University and study co-author said: ‘Lifestyle factors appear to impact the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that lifestyle changes may slow the emergence of cognitive symptoms if we act early.’ 

Dr Reisa Sperling, a neurologist at Harvard University and study co-author, added: ‘These findings show us that it’s possible to build cognitive resilience and resistance to tau in pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease. 

US scientists, who tracked almost 300 adults, found those who met the step count, delayed cognitive decline by three years and were less prone to one toxic protein, tau, spreading in the brain

‘This is particularly encouraging for our quest to ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease, as well as to decrease dementia due to multiple contributing factors.’

In the study, researchers tracked 296 adults, aged between 50 and 90, who underwent neuroimaging tests and wore wristband pedometers to track step count.

All had no evidence of cognitive decline at the beginning of the study. 

Over a follow-up of nine years on average, the researchers discovered that participants who had sedentary lifestyles, had a ‘significantly faster’ buildup of tau proteins in the brain and more rapid declines in cognition and daily functioning.

Modest activity, between 3,001 and 5,000 steps per day on average, was linked to delaying cognitive decline by three years. 

For those who walked between 5,001 and 7,500 steps per day, decline was delayed by seven years on average.  

Writing in the journal Nature, they also said that most of the physical activity benefits, associated with slowing cognitive decline, were driven by slower tau buildup. 

Professor Tara Spires-Jones, group leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, who was not involved in the research, said: ‘The study is well-conducted, and the data are an important advance as they indicate that people who already have early Alzheimer’s disease pathology in their brains may still benefit from taking even modest amounts of activity — over 3,000 steps per day.’

Significant clumps of amyloid and tau proteins can form plaques and tangle — and this is thought to be behind Alzheimer’s symptoms. Pictured, an Alzheimer’s affected brain, with abnormal levels of amyloid protein clumping together

Charles Marshall, professor of clinical neurology at Queen Mary University of London, said the research could not determine whether the people doing more exercise were also healthier in other ways, nor whether the development of Alzheimer’s disease changes are influencing activity levels.

But he added: ‘This research provides strong evidence that moderate levels of physical activity are associated with slower progression of the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and that this is linked to slower accumulation of tau protein, which is an important cause of brain cell loss.’

Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, added: ‘One in three people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime, but evidence shows we can reduce our risk of getting the condition.

‘This study reinforces the message that what’s good for our heart is also good for our head and that being more active can support brain health.

‘However, because this is an observational study, we can’t draw a conclusive link between step count and changes to cognition or potential signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain. 

‘We would encourage everyone to exercise regularly if they can. 

‘Other steps like eating a healthy balanced diet, not smoking, drinking less alcohol and keeping on top of health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can also help reduce our risk of getting dementia.’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week — or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.

Sedentary lifestyles in the UK, with Brits spending their workhours deskbound then sitting in a train or car on their way home to sit down in front of the TV, have been estimated to kill thousands each year.

One 2019 estimate put the annual death toll at 70,000 people a year with the health issues caused costing the NHS £700million each year to treat.

A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study in 2018 estimated almost one in 10 (8.3 per cent) of adult deaths in the US were caused by physical inactivity.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia and affects 982,000 people in the UK. 

Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.

Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country’s biggest killer.