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This episode breaks down the strongest scientific evidence that exercise protects your brain immediately and over the long arc of your life. We translate major studies into clear, actionable steps, showing how aerobic workouts sharpen attention today, how HIIT strengthens executive function, and how decades of sustained fitness can dramatically delay dementia onset.

We begin with a meta-analysis of 29 trials, demonstrating that a single session of aerobic exercise produces immediate improvements in attention and cognitive performance. Then we look at long-term evidence, including a 61,000-person, 12-year study revealing a 40% lower dementia risk and a 1.5-year delay in onset among the most active participants. We also break down the remarkable Swedish 44-year cohort, where high-fitness individuals showed an 88% lower dementia risk and nearly a decade of added cognitive resilience.

Next, we highlight VO₂ max as the most actionable metric—each one-MET increase cutting dementia risk by roughly 20%. We show why HIIT delivers the largest boosts to executive function, especially for adults over 60, and how hippocampal structure remains protected for years.

High-volume keywords used: brain health, dementia prevention, aerobic exercise, VO2 max, HIIT, cognitive function, longevity, neuroprotection

Listener Takeaways

• Immediate cognitive improvements shown across 29 trials
• Long-term studies proving major reductions in dementia risk
• Why VO₂ max is the key trackable brain-health metric
• HIIT’s outsized effects on executive function in older adults
• How fitness preserves hippocampal structure for multi-year protection

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This podcast is created by Ai for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or health advice. Please talk to your healthcare team for medical advice.

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