Running causes brain damage?

I've been thinking about ditching the gym and starting running instead, however I've read that running can cause brain damage, which doesn't sound great! Apparently a 25k race can cause as much damage to your brain as boxing... What do you think?

Absolute tripe!!

I've stopped running now. Thanks for the heaeds up!

I've stopped running now, thanks for the heads up

Actually the article does not seem to draw any conclusions at all

No the article doesn't but the research quoted does. I was going to link to the research study findings but they were quite heavy-going/scientific so linked to the article instead which is a bit easier to read.

I just wondered what people thought about this and why, given that the research seems to be very definite about it.

That would definitely put me off running, but luckily I don't run any of the distances they mentioned so think I should be safe!

I don't think I run far enough to cause any serious damage either!

Man, this is hilarious! 

I was under the impression that the brain damage is caused by quick reversals of internal fluid.  ie when you get punched on the right side of the head, your brain fluids spin say clockwise, then a punch comes in on the left side so it then sends the fluids spinning anti clock causing the fluids to effectively scramble the brain.  that and the brain trauma of repeatedly getting punched (causes brain swelling etc).

the human body is designed to run.  its not designed to be repeatedly get punched in the head!!!

its like those two other wives tales - running gives you bad joints and you only get so many heartbeats so why waste them on running.  Dont get me started!!!!!

deep breath

[motor steps off his soap box]

So let me guess - the solution is for people to stop 'dangerous' things like running and use the safe & 'scientifically approved' gym machines instead.... so that someone can make money out of you of course. Very handy, this kind of research, isn't it - wonder who funds it!!

I think the findings suggest it is caused by brain fluids moving about from the impact of your feet hitting the ground when you run. While the body may be designed to run, it suggests that it is not designed to run such long distances, and it is these that seem to cause the damage.

I don't know if it's right or wrong, just thought it's worth considering all factors before taking up an exercise and wondered what people thought!

Did anyone watch the Alice Roberts programme "Origins of Us"? A suggestion was made there was that in fact us humans are designed to run long distances. A cheetah can run at 70mph but only for a few seconds (and then apparently it does need to slow down pretty sharpish otherwise quite literally it will die) - of course we get nowhere near that, think Usain Bolt will manage 22mph or thereabouts on his world record sprints. But we can run for hours, providing we don't try to go flat out, and I'm not sure any other animals can, so if it comes down to stamina we should be able to beat the cheetah.

I must be designed wrong in that case, I am definitely not designed to run long distances!!

The proof they're using to suggest that brain damage is occuring in higher fequency is the amount of S100-B in the blood stream.

S100-B, while also a protein found in the brain has a utility in the body. It is used to stimulate vascular sooth muscle proliferation. That is, the muscles of blood vessels are being increased with this protein. There's a good explanation now as to why this protein is found in runners' blood, except for the fact that another type of cardio athlete, the cyclist, does not have higher concentrations of this protein.

My theory to combat the original assumption that running is killing brain cells is: running is a far more vascularly difficult activity than cycling. I'd say that the body's reaction to running is far more acute than its reaction to cycling because cycling is not what the body is designed to do. The phenomenon known as the "runner's high" occurs in runners mostly, showing that the brain understands the difference between running and cycling. I think cycling and running affect the body and the brain in two completely distinct ways, affecting different aspects of the muscles in the body.

Actually, for a case study of this, I saw Lance Armstrong placed 856th in a marathon. He said it was incredibly difficult compared to the Tour de France. His cardiovascular health is probably much more extreme than many marathon runners who beat him that day; his whole body just didn't have those crucial runner attributes.

On the other hand, while the human body is built to run, it's only built to last 30-40 years. Maybe, protecting the brain wouldn't improve survival over that life-span.

Funny how I've never seen any runners with any signs of brain damage whatsoever. Some of these things are quite literally bizarre. What happened to our poor old ancestors who were nomadic. They must have been jabbering wrecks by 30. 

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