Effects of Physical Exercise Combined with Nutritional Supplements on Aging Brain Related Structures and Functions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Age-related decline in gray and white brain matter goes together with cognitive depletion. To influence cognitive functioning in elderly, several types of physical exercise and nutritional intervention have been performed. This paper systematically reviews the potential additive and complementary effects of nutrition/nutritional supplements and physical exercise on cognition. The search strategy was developed for EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases and focused on the research question: “Is the combination of physical exercise with nutrition/nutritional supplementation more effective than nutrition/nutritional supplementation or physical exercise alone in effecting on brain structure, metabolism, and/or function?” Both mammalian and human studies were included. In humans, randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of nutrition/nutritional supplements and physical exercise on cognitive functioning and associated parameters in healthy elderly (>65 years) were included. The systematic search included English and German language literature without any limitation of publication date. The search strategy yielded a total of 3129 references of which 67 studies met the inclusion criteria; 43 human and 24 mammalian, mainly rodent, studies. Three out of 43 human studies investigated a nutrition/physical exercise combination and reported no additive effects. In rodent studies, additive effects were found for docosahexaenoic acid supplementation when combined with physical exercise. Although feasible combinations of physical exercise/nutritional supplements are available for influencing the brain, only a few studies evaluated which possible combinations of nutrition/nutritional supplementation and physical exercise might have an effect on brain structure, metabolism and/or function. The reason for no clear effects of combinatory approaches in humans might be explained by the misfit between the combinations of nutritional methods with the physical interventions in the sense that they were not selected on sharing of similar neuronal mechanisms. Based on the results from this systematic review, future human studies should focus on the combined effect of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation and physical exercise that contains elements of (motor) learning.

Portrait of glial scar in neurological diseases

“…Since scar formation is the most common response in damaged tissue, most of the patients who have neurological disorders suffer from the loss of normal sensorimotor function which means losing their basic life guarantee and their fundamental life support abilities. 1 Furthermore, with the reduction in quality of life and the increase in the cost of care, patients who cannot live independently are more likely to experience depression after survival of neurological diseases. 1 …”

“… 1 Furthermore, with the reduction in quality of life and the increase in the cost of care, patients who cannot live independently are more likely to experience depression after survival of neurological diseases. 1 …”

Combining Exergame Training with Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Study Assessing the Effect on Neuronal Structure/Function in the Elderly Brain

“…The trial design is based on the results of the aforementioned animal studies and of the sole administration studies of either exergame training or omega-3 FA for older participants focusing on the brain. An exergame intervention was chosen because a combination of cognitive and motor training is expected to have positive effects on the elderly brain (Bamidis et al, 2014; Law et al, 2014; Schättin et al, 2016) and is able to ameliorate EFs in older adults (Eggenberger et al, 2016; Schättin et al, 2016). Motor training builds new synaptic connections while the cognitive part supports the preservation of the new build structure.…”

“…A systematic review revealed that previous interventions using a combined approach of PE and NS to effect on the brain were not particularly successful because of the misfit between the combinations; the intervention components were not selected based on sharing of similar neuronal mechanisms (Schättin et al, 2016). The review indicates, however, that especially fish oil, containing omega-3 fatty acid (FA), might be an effective NS supporting the positive effects of PE.…”

The influence of vitamins E and C and exercise on brain aging

“…However, the nature of the interaction between these two types of interventions remain controversial, and the literature on their combined effect on brain function during aging is rather limited in both humans and rodents (Schattin et al 2016). …”