Regularly lifting weights could make you more intelligent

[Vince]

Dr James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: “New research is beginning to unravel how physical exercise may have benefits for the brain as people get older. This study suggests that people with minor memory and thinking problems, known as mild cognitive impairment, may benefit from weight training to improve their brain health.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/weight-lifting-intelligence-study-improve-iq-a7378066.html

 

[Stefk]

This is definitely an interesting topic. Lately, I came across a study in which researchers tested the difference in recall of novel vocabulary between HIIT, low-intensity training, and no exercise.

Here's the study:

Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2007 May;87(4):597-609. Epub 2006 Dec 20.
High impact running improves learning.
Regular physical exercise improves cognitive functions and lowers the risk for age-related cognitive decline. Since little is known about the nature and the timing of the underlying mechanisms, we probed whether exercise also has immediate beneficial effects on cognition. Learning performance was assessed directly after high impact anaerobic sprints, low impact aerobic running, or a period of rest in 27 healthy subjects in a randomized cross-over design. Dependent variables comprised learning speed as well as immediate (1 week) and long-term (>8 months) overall success in acquiring a novel vocabulary. Peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) were assessed prior to and after the interventions as well as after learning. We found that vocabulary learning was 20 percent faster after intense physical exercise as compared to the other two conditions. This condition also elicited the strongest increases in BDNF and catecholamine levels. More sustained BDNF levels during learning after intense exercise were related to better short-term learning success, whereas absolute dopamine and epinephrine levels were related to better intermediate (dopamine) and long-term (epinephrine) retentions of the novel vocabulary. Thus, BDNF and two of the catecholamines seem to be mediators by which physical exercise improves learning.

 

[Camp_anawana]

When I lift weights, my arms constantly lose feeling and go numb. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Mountain Man]

When I lift weights, my arms constantly lose feeling and go numb. Am I doing something wrong?

Not necessarily. People who start lifting or don't lift on a regular basis often feel this way. You may need to build up to a decent routine. have you been lifting regularly? Maybe you are confusin a good pump with numbness. TRT, at least in my experience leads to a much better pump. I've elevated my arms 1/2 inces in sizewith no weight gain in the almost 6 months I've been on TRT.

 

[Vince]

When I lift weights, my arms constantly lose feeling and go numb. Am I doing something wrong?

Is weightlifting new to you? I always believed in starting slow, getting my body adjusted to a new workout.

 

[Vince]

Not necessarily. People who start lifting or don't lift on a regular basis often feel this way. You may need to build up to a decent routine. have you been lifting regularly? Maybe you are confusin a good pump with numbness. TRT, at least in my experience leads to a much better pump. I've elevated my arms 1/2 inces in sizewith no weight gain in the almost 6 months I've been on TRT.

That's a really nice gain, "I've elevated my arms 1/2 inches in size with no weight gain in the almost 6 months I've been on TRT". Especially with no weight gain.

 

[Mountain Man]

That's a really nice gain, "I've elevated my arms 1/2 inches in size with no weight gain in the almost 6 months I've been on TRT". Especially with no weight gain.

Yes, I've been able to workout harder. The right arm has actually gained a full inch because it was in a sling for 6 weeks after surgery. I'm trying to get them back to what they were in my early 20s when I was heavier.

Maybe won't happen, but might as well give it my best shot, right?

 

[madman]

Not necessarily. People who start lifting or don't lift on a regular basis often feel this way. You may need to build up to a decent routine. have you been lifting regularly? Maybe you are confusin a good pump with numbness. TRT, at least in my experience leads to a much better pump. I've elevated my arms 1/2 inces in sizewith no weight gain in the almost 6 months I've been on TRT.

Testosterone will definitely lead to better vascularity/pumps due to increases in NO/RBC production. As far as size increases the initial weight gain is usually quantitative ( increased intracellular water due to increased glycogen storage in the muscle cell and for some also extracellular water due to estrogen related issues like water retention outside the muscle cell ) and in the long run qualitative ( increases in actin/myosin tissue ) which takes time to accumulate whether one is on trt or using supra physiological dosages. As the building of pure muscle tissue is a some what slow process albeit enhanced when using testosterone/AAS.

 

[Mountain Man]

Testosterone will definitely lead to better vascularity/pumps due to increases in NO/RBC production. As far as size increases the initial weight gain is usually quantitative ( increased intracellular water due to increased glycogen storage in the muscle cell and for some also extracellular water due to estrogen related issues like water retention outside the muscle cell ) and in the long run qualitative ( increases in actin/myosin tissue ) which takes time to accumulate whether one is on trt or using supra physiological dosages. As the building of pure muscle tissue is a some what slow process albeit enhanced when using testosterone/AAS.

Yeah, I'll have to take your word for it. All I know is I can work out harder, get a better pump, and can gian lean muscle mass. Gains didn't come right away, just in months 4 and 5.

Bottom line is work as hard as you can I guess....