(NewsNation) — A new study uncovered individuals who get 5,000 steps per day can slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Harvard Medical School researchers found that individuals with increased physical activity slowed the accumulation of tau protein. Tau proteins are macronutrients that perform the function of stabilizing microtubules in the brain.
“The very encouraging takeaway is that even a little bit of exercise seems to help,” said Dr. Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, a physician-scientist and co-author of the study.
The results of the study revealed that taking as few as 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day can decrease cognitive decline by three years. People who go for 5,000 to 7,5000 steps daily can halt the decline by seven years.
Researchers monitored approximately 300 adults with no cognitive impairment for up to 14 years. They also provided them with cognitive assessments and brain scans during the study period for any signs of the disease.
The brains of people at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease usually display an uncommon build-up of two proteins — amyloid-β and tau.