Aerobic Exercise Reduces Brain Age by Nearly a Year in 12-Month Clinical Trial

A year of regular aerobic exercise may rewind the biological clock of the brain by nearly a year, according to a clinical trial that tracked subtle but measurable changes in midlife adults.

A 12-month aerobic exercise program reduced brain age by 0.6 years in 130 participants aged 26–58, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science by the AdventHealth Research Institute. The control group showed a 0.35-year increase in brain age, though this result was statistically nonsignificant.

Dr. Lu Wan said:

"We found that a simple, guideline-based exercise program can make the brain look measurably younger over just 12 months."

Participants in the exercise group met the 150-minute-per-week aerobic activity guidelines through 60-minute lab sessions combined with home exercise. Dr. Kirk I. Erickson noted:

"Each additional year of brain age is associated with meaningful differences in later-life health."

While the study supports the public health recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity, it included only healthy, relatively well-educated volunteers.

Researchers acknowledged uncertainty about the mechanisms—exercise may act through unmeasured pathways like vascular health or inflammation. The trial represents the only completed 12-month study of this nature.

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