Take Up Cycling as a Hobby. It Might Literally Save Your Brain.

If you needed another reason to dust off your old ten-speed, here it is: cycling could help save your brain from dementia. Just remember to wear your helmet.

A gigantic study of nearly half a million people living in the UK, published in JAMA Network Open, by researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the University of Sydney found that riding a bike might be doing a lot more than making your legs look shredded. It could be protecting your brain’s memory centers from shrinking.

The study followed, again, the gargantuan number of nearly half a million people in the UK with an average age of 56 and compared how they got around: car/public transit, walking, a mix of walking and non-active transport, or cycling/mixed cycling.

Commutes were excluded, meaning the analysis focused on how people moved during their free time when they were allowed to more freely choose how to get from place to place.

Cycling Might Literally Save Your Brain, Scientists Say

Before we get into the numbers, first, a quick definition: “all-cause” dementia is any dementia that results from an underlying disease or condition that damages the brain. Cyclists had a 19 percent lower risk of all-cause dementia, 22 percent lower for Alzheimer’s specifically, a massive 40 percent lower risk for early-onset dementia, defined as dementia that hits before the age of 65, and 17 percent lower for the standard late-onset.

Brain scans from a subset of participants showed increased gray matter in 10 regions among cyclists. One standout area was the hippocampus, which plays a crucial role in memory and spatial navigation. So it’s not just that cyclists were less likely to develop dementia, but they had overall physically healthier brains.

The researchers suggest it’s not just the pedaling that helps. Navigating traffic, choosing routes, staying alert, and simply moving your body all demand brainpower that keeps your brain sharp and focused. These factors might be exercising the brain just as much as the body. Add fresh air and social exposure, and you’ve got a cognitive workout.

All that cheery pro cycling stuff having been said, cyclists with the APOE4 gene did not see the same benefit. APOE4 is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Researchers also acknowledged that while the study adjusted for age and education, its findings are purely observational. It’s not establishing a 100 percent definitive pattern of cause-and-effect.

Still, since dementia cases are projected to rocket up toward 139 million by 2050, we’ll need a toolbox brimming with treatments, preventative measures, and a variety of strategies to stem the tide. And there’s only one of them we know of so far that you could put streamers on and a little baseball card in the spokes.