Running and the Brain

[aspergerian]

Running and the Brain – iRunFar.com.

irunfar.com/2020/02/running...

[pvw2]

What I've noticed. In the last few weeks, I've stepped up the stationary bicycle workout from 30 min. a week to at least 2.5 hours a week to be in line with PD research while keeping my weight lifting workout constant. A large increase in cycling speed was expected. What wasn't expected was an increase in weight lifting ability unrelated to legs. The only way I can explain this is an improved reduction in the PD symptom of muscle weakness.

[sharoncrayn]

Ratey's book is about "exercise" and the brain. Specifically, "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain". The ultra marathoner's blog title you used turned it into "running", which stands to reason since he is totally into running hour after hour, day after day.

Once you get beyond the chapters about Naperville, it becomes more relevant for PD types.

The anti-sugar at all cost people won't like this idea from the book: "To fuel the anticipated activity of the muscles and the brain, epinephrine immediately begins converting glycogen and fatty acids into glucose." Love it. Gotta have it.

Sharon

[sharoncrayn in reply to sharoncrayn]

Another good one:

"Some of the most powerful ingredients in the cascade of repair molecules are

the growth factors brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), IGF-1, fibroblast

growth factor (FGF-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which I

discussed in chapter 2. BDNF is of particular interest to stress researchers

because of its dual role in energy metabolism and synaptic plasticity. It’s

activated indirectly by glutamate, and it increases the production of antioxidants

in the cell as well as protective proteins. And as I’ve mentioned, it also

stimulates LTP and the growth of new nerve cells, strengthening the brain

against stress. The advantage of using exercise to inoculate the brain against

stress is that it ramps up growth factors more than other stimuli do."

Chronic stress without some form of exercise is a no-no, but daily, extreme forms of exercise is a negative stress all unto itself.

Sharon

[tacato in reply to sharoncrayn]

Sharon, how do you define “daily, extreme forms of exercise’?

[sharoncrayn in reply to tacato]

Extreme? Anything where you are exercising day after day at >80% heart rate max for your age and your overall fitness level ...for more than 30 minutes per day.

For individuals who have been diagnosed with PD and who are in the normal age cohort (65 years+) and who are not a long term athletic endurance type, any attempt at this level is what I would call "extreme".

In essence, exercise can be become a negative stress factor if overdone.

Sharon

[sharoncrayn in reply to tacato]

The interesting (at least for me) mice study of 2011 by Gerecke (following Faherty's observations) concluded that "continuous" (longer than 3 months daily activity on their treadmill) provided complete protection against their neurotoxicity induced by MPTP. It didn't matter when during 24 hours they exercised. However, If they didn't exercise (controls), their DA amount dropped almost 50%.

"3 months of exercise induces (positive-sharon) changes in proteins related to energy regulation, cellular metabolism, the cytoskeleton, and intracellular signaling events." We know signalling is critical in PD.

However, if the remaining cells were functional after MPTP, did exercise help? Partially. It wasn't a miracle.

IOW, for humans, 1) exercise every day, 2) exercise "long enough to provide protection", and 3) continue doing so for the rest of your life. Long enough probably = 40-45 minutes on the treadmill (per sharon). Shorter amounts probably aren't going to work as effectively.

Sharon

[pvw2 in reply to sharoncrayn]

What about a stationary bicycle reading 7 METS for 30 min. daily average heart rate 141 at age 68?

[sharoncrayn in reply to pvw2]

Depending on how you wish to measure max HR, 141 HR FOR 30 minutes average on a stationary bike for a 68 year old male is in the 95th percentile (99th for PD patients). Never mind the watts. Are you using a Keiser M3i Spin to measure your watts? If not, find one and retest.

Moving on, first, I would check the way in which you measure your heart rate. I use a "chest" HR monitor (Polar and Garmin) which is the most accurate, not a watch type mechanism (Fit Bit) or my finger on my neck (carotid) or wrist (radial), never off a bike HR monitor.

As a comparison, I just did a scale for a 77 year old male in my group, and at 141 HR he would be exercising at or near100% of his HR max (143). I used Karvonen 's scale and a resting HR of 72.

You'll notice I didn't use the old simplistic 220-68 (your age) = 152 max HR which would mean your running at 92% max (141) for 30 minutes.

To do a legitimate, thorough Karvonen, start with the traditional method (220- 68)= 152. Then, subtracting your resting HR (I assume 71) = 81. Multiply 81 times .6 = 48.6 (or rounded to 49). Add in your resting HR (49+71) = 120 or your "reserve" HR, or 60% of your max. Using .8 as the multiplier, we get a higher value obviously, or 135-136 or 80% of max HR. Using 90% of max, we come to 143-144. Obviously, a resting HR below 70 or above 70 is going to change the numbers somewhat but not by much.

Bottom line, 141 on average for 30 minutes is rather extreme because it means you are exercising above 90% for a good portion of the 30 minutes in order to arrive at an "average". Daily bouts of this extreme provide no "recovery" period or very little, which is essential. Cycle your workouts to avoid excessive system stress.

Second, do a 10K test. A quick and dirty way of measuring or estimating you max HR is to run a 10K (6.21 miles) at your max speed and measure your HR immediately upon completion. Then, 60 seconds later, measure again. If you don't return to a baseline HR of > 100 beats or so, you have finished at or near your max HR.

If you want to correlate your max HR to your VO2Max, do the Cooper 12 minute run test, (how far in 12 minutes) which will give you your MAS level.

Sharon

[sharoncrayn in reply to sharoncrayn]

Some runners use 180 rather than 220 minus your age, so try each accordingly.

[sharoncrayn in reply to tacato]

These mice studies make it clear a distinction (re: exercise) exists in terms of protection of DAs. This dichotomy in protection suggests that there may separate mechanisms that protect against cell death compared to those that keep spared DA neurons continuing to properly function.

Exercise works more effectively in the former situation.

The caveat here is that not all mice study conclusions agree about exercise and its benefits for DA protection.

Sharon

[pvw2 in reply to sharoncrayn]

My 30 min. on the stationary bicycle has increased from 7 METS to 8 METS but my average pulse has dropped from 141 to 130. I have to really push to get an average 130. So, I guess I'm getting in better shape at 68. Maybe got here a little faster than recommended.

[kaypeeoh in reply to sharoncrayn]

I was a marathon runner for 20 years. Then I moved on to ultras: Mainly 50 mile races but a few 24 hour or 100 mile runs. I fell into the low-carb idea that burning fat is better than burning glycogen. But it never worked for me. I remember running the Antelope 50 miler in Salt Lake City. In the last 10 miles I was the last runner. I developed cramps in my low back and thighs that forced me into a slow shuffle. When I finally closed the finish line I crawled into my pup tent. But it was so cold the shivering triggered whole-body cramping. This went on all night. A very bad night.

[kaypeeoh in reply to kaypeeoh]

Instead of 50 miles per week I do HIIT three times a week.

[sharoncrayn in reply to kaypeeoh]

The ketogenic diet or food plan has no place in anyone doing endurance athletics. Can't understand why any endurance runner or cyclist would even think of using it.

The keto diet was promulgated initially by Johns Hopkins for pediatric epilepsy patients post WWII (it did work) and later in 2010 by Dr. Seyfried at Boston College as a anti-cancer diet. The theory was that all cancers (tumors) fed off of glucose and fructose (i.e. sucrose). So, if you just starved the body of sucrose, you would shrink your cancer cells. It was never meant by Seyfried as a athletic endurance diet (via my personal communication with Seyfried).

When I was competing at the national level in the 800/1500/5000, which is far from training for an ultra, even for that type of training I would massively load up my carbs and sugar...even during my workouts which were demanding but relatively short in time spent running.

Don't take this the wrong way, but If you don't complex carb load (10 gram per kilo at least), along with hydration simple sugar drinks throughout the day and into and during your workout, you will continue to experience the negative effects that you expressed in your previous posts. You have (or had) the classic signs of system "bonking".

Sharon