Key Points:
- Walking 5,000–7,500 steps daily may slow Alzheimer’s progression.
- Benefits plateau after 7,500 steps, with even 3,000–5,000 steps helping.
- Lifestyle factors like diet, social engagement, and mental activity also support brain health.
A new U.S. study suggests that walking as few as 5,000 steps a day may help slow Alzheimer’s progression by reducing protein buildup and cognitive decline.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham analyzed lifestyle patterns, medical records, and brain scans of nearly 300 older adults to determine the relationship between daily physical activity and Alzheimer’s-related changes. The study found that participants who took between 5,000 and 7,500 steps per day showed slower accumulation of tau protein and less cognitive decline over time.
The findings, published on Nov. 4, indicate that even modest physical activity could offer meaningful protection against Alzheimer’s progression. Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disorder that impairs memory and thinking, affecting roughly one in three people over age 85.
Long-term study of brain health
Led by neurologist Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, the research team followed 296 participants aged 50 to 90 enrolled in the Harvard Aging Brain Study (HABS). At the start, none of the participants showed signs of cognitive impairment. Over as many as 14 years, the researchers tracked their physical activity using wearable pedometers and monitored key Alzheimer’s biomarkers through imaging scans and cognitive tests.
The team focused on two proteins—amyloid and tau—that are known to accumulate abnormally in Alzheimer’s disease. Although the study found no association between step count and amyloid buildup, the results showed a clear link between physical activity and slower tau accumulation, along with better preservation of cognitive performance, which may help slow Alzheimer’s progression.
Benefits level off after 7,500 steps
The data showed diminishing returns beyond 7,500 steps a day, suggesting that moderate physical activity may be sufficient for benefits. Participants who took between 3,000 and 5,000 steps daily also experienced slower cognitive decline, though the effect was less pronounced.
“Taken together, our findings support targeting physical inactivity as a strategy in future randomized clinical trials to modify the trajectory of tau and cognition in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers wrote. “This could provide an attainable goal for older sedentary individuals at high risk of cognitive decline.”
Physical activity as a simple intervention
While the study does not establish causation, researchers say the trend highlights physical activity as a potential therapeutic target. Even modest daily movement, they noted, might delay disease progression in older adults.
Experts believe that the accessibility of walking makes it a valuable focus for prevention strategies. Wearable activity trackers, now widely available, could play a role in encouraging daily movement and helping individuals monitor their progress.
The team emphasized that other lifestyle factors—such as diet, social engagement, and mental stimulation—may also influence outcomes. However, the study reinforces evidence that sedentary behavior increases risk, and even modest steps toward activity could make a measurable difference.
Alzheimer’s disease currently has no cure, but growing research points toward lifestyle interventions as effective tools to manage or slow its development. The new findings suggest that something as simple as a daily walk could be one of the easiest steps toward maintaining cognitive health and slowing Alzheimer’s progression.
