The strongest associations were for logical thinking and verbal comprehension. And researchers noted that the key to the link with the IQ test was physical fitness, not strength. Plus, since researchers analyzed twins as well, they found that the link isn’t based on genes, but on environmental factors like exercise. The people in the study who were fit at 18 were more likely to go to college and secure better jobs.

Researchers noted that being fit means you have better heart and lung capacity, which gives your brain plenty of oxygen. Another mental advantage of exercise is that it reduces stress and anxiety.

The study, carried out at the Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation in Gothenburg, involved 1.2 million Swedish men in the military. The results were published in December in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

More advantages of being physically fit

In addition to the possibility that being fit will may help make you smarter, being fit has some impressive physical advantages as you might have guessed. Studies have shown that people who are physically fit are less likely to suffer from heart disease or to die from other illnesses. Physical fitness can be determined by an exercise stress test, which measures your heart responds to exertion, such as walking on a treadmill.

Do you consider yourself physically fit?

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Could Exercise Make You Smarter?

In a study of 55 individuals who were asked to perform exercises 3 x a week for 12 weeks, those with higher cholesterol intake had the highest muscle strength gain. The cholesterol levels in the blood seems to have contributed to muscle gain.

“One possible explanation is through cholesterol’s important role in the inflammation process,” he noted.

“As you exercise, your muscles can become sore because they are rebuilding muscle mass. More cholesterol may result in a more robust inflammatory response. We know that inflammation in some areas, such as near the heart, is not good, but for building muscles it may be beneficial, and cholesterol appears to aid in this process.”

Riechman said that subjects who were taking cholesterol-lowering drugs while participating in the study showed lower muscle gain totals than those who were not.

These findings definitely raises a lot of questions regarding the role of cholesterol in muscle development and how its interplay with cardiovascular health. At this point, I suppose that it’s best to stick to the old adage that moderation is key. Try to keep cholesterol levels low, particularly if you are at risk for heart disease, but don’t overdo it!

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Cholesterol May Have Benefits, Too!