10 replies to this topic

[Mr Serendipity]

Hey guys. I'm sure most have heard by now exercise increases BDNF.

 

Well I've finally started getting into sprinting, as compared to bodybuilding in the past, and sometimes jogging.

 

However what I wanted to know now. Is how much sprinting is required for brain health/nootropic effect. I searched for better details of a certain paper to finally reveal, participants sprinted twice in 3 minute (or less) intervals, with a 2 minute rest inbetween. That's it!

 

Hurray! Now I know what minimum goal I have to aim for. Today I did a sprint. Rested, and did 1/2 a sprint before having the walk the rest of the way (due to exhaustion). Hopefully I'll be doing 2 sprints minimum every day soon.

 

http://www.researchg...1df0d6a7b000000

 

 

After short-duration anaerobic exercise (up to 2min), short-term memory was facilitated (Davey, 1973). During or immediately after long anaerobic exercise (5–40min), no effects on memory were found (Sjoberg, 1980; Tomporowski, Ellis, & Stephens, 1987). When the exercise condition led to dehydration, either no effects or even negative effects on memory were noted (Cian, Barraud, Melin, & Raphel, 2001; Cian et al., 2000).

 

Interesting. Short intense exercise in previous studies had a memory effect. While longer ones didn't.

 

 

The main finding of the present study was that intense exercise directly improves learning: After two sprints of less than 3min each, subjects learned 20 percent faster com- pared to moderate exercise or being sedentary. To our knowledge, this is the first study of immediate exercise- induced exercise on a complex learning task with a parallel analysis of neurophysiological correlates (changes in peripheral catecholamine or BDNF levels) in humans. Our results suggests that short bouts of exercise could be used in situations which require an immediate boost of learning, e.g., immediately prior to study phases in children with and without learning diffculties.
We were further able to elucidate at least some of the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of improved learning through exercise. Intense running led to elevated levels of peripheral catecholamines (dopamine, epineph- rine, norepinephrine) and BDNF. More sustained BDNF levels during learning (levels after intense exercise minus levels after learning) were related to better short-term learning success, and absolute dopamine and epinephrine levels after intense exercise were related to better inter- mediate (dopamine) and long-term (epinephrine) reten- tions of the novel vocabulary. The latter finding was endorsed by the observation, that subjects with relatively higher (as compared to the group mean) epinephrine blood plasma levels after intense exercise had a better long-term retention of the trained vocabulary up to >8 months.

 

 

Edited by manny, 20 November 2014 - 05:25 AM.

[drstrangeglove]

Nice find! Aerobic exercise is pretty overrated. We didn't evolve to run marathons. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is the way to go. Along with long walks and weight lifting. 

[Babychris]

"We don't evolve to run marathons" ; How do you know that ?

[medicineman]

"We don't evolve to run marathons" ; How do you know that ?

I'm assuming she is referring to grok and his early human companions sprinting and resting while chasing after prey until the prey is worn out and killed.

[Junk Master]

I couldn't help but revive this one because I wanted to point out just how MUCH 6 minutes of sprinting is--

 

I doubt the vast majority of the posters on this site could sprint 100 meters in less than 14-15 seconds at 80-90 percent.

 

 Anaerobic threshold for untrained individuals is generally considered to be around 55% effort, but I believe that to be a little low for most of the people on this site.  So, let's call it 65-70 percent effort v. 80-90 for trained endurance athletes.

 

So lets say if you run 100 meters in 17 seconds, you are exercising anaerobically.  Well, that's ten 100 meter sprints.  Rest two minutes and repeat.  Twenty 100 meter sprints total.

 

Go ahead and try 20 100 meter sprints three times a week and see how many of you can continue past a week without quitting or getting injured!

 

It's nearly impossible to sustain that training load WITHOUT a substantial amount of "easy" aerobic exercise as a base.  Now easy can mean jogging 30-40 minutes 5 days a week for a few months BEFORE you begin sprinting, but then you run into the catch 22 of not being "untrained" anymore and you need to increase your anaerobic effort...lol...

 

The point being anaerobic exercise is TAXING and six minutes is a boatload.

 

For example, elite athletes running 60-100 meter hill sprints twice a week take 3 minutes between EACH sprint and often just do six per workout if they are in the 90 percent and up effort range.

 

Or take weight lifting.  Imagine how many reps you would have to do at 70% of your maximum in a compound exercise to fill six minutes!   Then repeating that in a day or two...

 

...that's where steroids come in...but that's another topic.

 

 

[treonsverdery]

could you do a sprint equivalent exercise, like a bunch of sit ups, as long as it is anaerobic?  I comprehend the sprints are linked at the paper to published increase of BDNF, it is just, do you think there are other sprint like exercises that would work as well

[pone11]

Does anyone have a study that graphs the amount of neurogenesis or BDNF associated with different levels of exercise?

[John250]

At 240lbs I get tired from just running to the toilet. I haven’t done cardio in about 2 years but I agree it’s crucial for health.

[YOLF]

Hmm... I feel a 'cognitive awakening' after my first 100 meters of sprinting or even jogging... I wonder how much is really necessary to demonstrate this, but I'm also thinking that an hour of HIIT won't deplete anything. My first High School was an eleven building college campus (counting later editions) before it was a HS. I remember running and power walking between classes would improve my performance, while staying in the same building left me feeling malaise and a bit of boredom. Definitely performed better after gym classes too.

 

Very interested in seeing a graph if someone has one.

[APBT]

Consider Tabata training. 

Essentially, it takes only four minutes to complete; although I'd suggest a thorough warm-up.

It consists of eight rounds of 20 seconds at 100% effort, followed by 10 seconds of recovery.  It's absolutely miserable to complete, but highly effective for improving fitness. Exceptional ROI. It can be applied to virtually any movement; running, rowing, cycling, squats, pushups, burpees - get creative. 

If you're hyper-fit or exceptionally masochistic, you could perform multiple four minute sessions separated by a 1 -2 minute rest.  For example: body-weight squats (rest 1 - 2 minutes), rowing (1 - 2 minutes rest), burpees (you're done, be prepared for a near-death experience).

That said, I've no idea how it impacts BDNF.  But, if the OP's study is noteworthy, Tabata certainly fits the bill.

 

Personally, I think diversity is the key. Unless of course, you're training for a specific event or sport. 

 

For general health/fitness/longevity, incorporate some resistance training, HIIT, distance work and mobility/flexibility work. They're all good and train different aspects of the cardiovascular and muscular systems.  Plus, it keeps things fresh and interesting and it's ALL good for the brain and body.

Edited by APBT, 08 June 2018 - 09:09 PM.

[Heisok]

It obviously depends on how HIIT is defined, but the active phase to my knowledge is an all out effort, perhaps 90% of heart rate maximum and an anaerobic state. Above the threshold where lactic acid builds up. Painful for me. Think 30 to 60 second sprints at a high heart rate followed by 30 to 60 active rest periods, maybe 50% plus of max heart rate.

 

As APBT mentioned, some take it to a maximum, and do Tabata training which is along the lines of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds  rest for 8 cycles. (I am not sure if they stop for 10 seconds or actively rest) I only do my form of HIIT 2 to 3 times per week. 2 1/2 minute warm up then 8 cycles of 30 seconds on and 20 seconds active rest followed by 2 1/2 minutes cool down A little over 10 minutes. What strikes me is that one might not be able to rest on their improvement. As improvement happens, the body has to continue to be pushed to a high heart rate and beyond the lactate threshold  to get the maximum benefits. As they also mention, equipment is not needed if the intensity can be attained.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Heisok, 09 June 2018 - 12:01 AM.