The question does exercise make you smarter may not be one that you have asked yourself recently. However, it is a question that researchers have been asking. A number of studies looking at how exercise affects the brain have found some interesting things.
Researchers have actually been interested in the subject of does exercise make you smarter for some time. The subject carries with it a wide range of possible benefits from safe ways to boost smarts to preventing decline due to aging. The research is particularly important to those who wish to find ways to protect cognitive ability from the effects of aging as the demographic of older people is growing rapidly.
So how does exercising make you smarter? The first and most immediate benefit found was that exercising increased blood flow to the brain. Blood flow is a direct factor on how well the brain performs. Much of the age related decline we see is due in part to a reduction in blood flow as the body ages. Exercise directly counters this effect, especially the younger you start. However, even those who are already in their later years can see a benefit in their cognitive function from starting an exercise program.
A study was done looking at how does exercising make you smarter by measuring several different factors in mental aptitude and function and comparing them between a group of people who exercised to a group that did not. There was a significant difference between the two with the group of people who exercised scoring higher in all areas.
Studies have also determined that exercise protects brain cells from dying prematurely and increases the protective effects of antioxidants. This is crucial for two reasons. One, the more nerve cells we have the better our brain can function. Two, antioxidants keep cells from damage due to free radicals, tiny particles in the body. Free radical damage has been implicated in the formation of age related disease like Alzheimer's and certain forms of dementia. The more you can protect your brain from free radicals the healthier it will stay.
Another look at does exercise make you smarter found that exercise helps the body boost production of various neurotransmitters. These are the brain chemicals involved in how brain cells communicate, process information and perform certain functions. Decline in neurotransmitter production is part of the aging process and certain things like stress, depression, etc. can impact brain chemicals. Reduction in neurotransmitters impairs function of the brain and can effect memory, mood, cognitive reasoning, etc. Exercise can help the body keep production up and allow the brain to work better even in the face of aging or stress.
So the answer to the question does exercise make you smarter is in general...yes. It has a number of effects on the brain and its systems that help improve function and performance. It also helps to protect it from decline as we age. Is it the only thing that helps? No, diet is also important as is exercising your brain through mental activity. There are also supplements like Ginkgo and Ginseng that have demonstrated an ability to increase mental function in a number of studies. All of these methods are at your disposal to help maximize your brain and its ability. It may not make you an Einstein, but it will certainly help you improve.
