Medical Keywords - Everything you need to know about health.

Exercise May Be a Piece of the Parkinson's Disease Prevention Puzzle

Almost 150,000 people were studied over a ten year period to come up with the latest findings that regular exercise may greatly lessen the propensity of Parkinson's disease in someone. However, it is important to note that passive exercise like relaxing walks in the park won't cut it. This study focused on late middle agers in their early 60s in varying physical activities. Some people in the study engaged in light exercise such as dancing and walking while others were studied in moderate to more vigorous exercises like aerobics, swimming, tennis, jogging and anything else that got the heart rate going.

Out of the 150,000 people a little over 400 people developed Parkinson's disease by the end of the ten year study. With a broad look, the Parkinson's patients mostly were the ones who engaged in the lightest of activities.

The Tie in Between Exercise and the Disease

The direct tie-in between Parkinson's disease and exercise was the more rigorous the physical activity schedule, the less likely someone was to develop the disease. Of course, that is not to say that the light exercise schedule will cause the disease, because it will not. There are other factors to consider that also play into developing the disease. For instance, some people may have genetic markers for the disease while others may have been exposed to pesticides and environmental toxins or head trauma which puts them at a higher propensity for it. Exercise just seems to lower the risk across the board, even in those with a propensity for it.

The moderate to vigorous exercise routines are the best bet for staving off Parkinson's disease. Researchers were quick to point out that exercise is not the cure-all to avoid the disease, just another point in your favor in lowering risk. The jury is still out as to why more strenuous exercise is better but some theorize that the endorphins produced from the physical activity, the chemicals that give you a natural high, could be a large part of the lower risk.

The best happy medium for lowering Parkinson's disease risk is moderate to vigorous exercise, about 10 to 12 hours per week if possible. As mentioned above, anything that gets the heart rate up whether it is swimming, jogging, power walking, and racquetball or even jump roping can greatly help. There was not one particular exercise that held an edge over others in the moderate to vigorous category.

Again, it is important to note that the study that took place over ten years did not ask the people to exercise. Instead researchers followed a certain group of people for over ten years, examining their habits, food preferences, level of physical activity and more. The final thought on the study was that it was the intensity of the workout as well as the time spent each week that made the difference, not necessarily the activity itself.

Basically, you should adopt a moderate exercise program regardless of whether or not you are worried about Parkinson's disease. It makes good health sense and will prolong your life.