Khaberni - Maintaining a healthy body is not only about appearance, but it may also help in maintaining brain youth, according to a new study presented by the American Radiological Society. Researchers found that individuals with less belly fat and higher muscle mass tend to have "younger" brains, which could have implications in preventing Alzheimer's disease, which affects more than seven million Americans.
Dr. Cyrus Raji, an assistant professor of radiology and neurological sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, told the "Independent" newspaper that “healthy bodies with high muscle mass and low hidden belly fat are more likely to have healthy, young brains. Better brain health, in turn, reduces the risk of future brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.”
Previous research has linked visceral fat, stored around the belly and internal organs, with brain function deterioration and increased Alzheimer's risk. This new study reinforces this link, confirming that body composition is closely connected to brain health.
Researchers followed 1,164 men and women using whole-body MRI scans to identify areas of fat accumulation, then used an artificial intelligence algorithm to calculate the muscle-to-fat ratio and estimate brain age. They found that individuals with a high ratio of visceral fat compared to muscle had older brains, while subcutaneous fat did not show the same effect.
Dr. Raji explained that the findings confirm previous hypotheses about the relationship between body composition indicators and brain health, and provides a basis for incorporating these indicators in future clinical trials for metabolic intervention treatments.
Experts noted that normal aging affects memory and cognitive abilities, but chronic inflammation, psychological trauma, and high blood pressure may accelerate brain aging; thus, building muscle and reducing visceral fat is a practical approach to slowing these effects.
Exercise plays a major role, as muscles release chemical signals believed to positively influence the brain, according to researchers at the University of Illinois. These findings also support long-standing evidence that reducing fat and increasing muscle reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Finally, researchers noted that some weight loss medications may reduce fat but also lead to muscle loss, whereas newer medications like amylin drugs maintain muscle mass better compared to well-known GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic.
This study highlights that maintaining physical activity and balancing body composition are not only crucial for physical fitness but may also be fundamental in protecting brain functions as we age.
