In October, the Alumni Network Hungary hosted Professor Zsolt Radák, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at the Hungarian University of Sport Science, for an insightful webinar. He shared his research on how physical activity can boost brain function and help lower the risk of neurobiological diseases like Alzheimer’s. We had the chance to chat with him about this important topic in a quick interview.
Your research focuses on how physical activity supports brain health. So how many times a week would you recommend to exercise for a healthy mind and body?
It depends on the level of physical fitness. For well-trained individuals, five times a week is ideal, but three times a week with a mix of aerobic and resistance training is highly beneficial. While aerobic training was once thought to be the most important, we now know resistance training is crucial, especially as aging can cause significant muscle loss—up to 40% by age 70. Maintaining skeletal muscle is vital since it’s the primary insulin-dependent sugar uptake organ, and having less muscle due to aging or obesity significantly increases the risk of diseases like diabetes.
Is there a sport that stands out to you as your favourite, and what’s your connection to it?
Javelin throwing. It’s a beautiful event, with the world record now exceeding 96 meters. Hungary has a proud history in javelin: Miklós Németh won Olympic gold in Montreal, Ferenc Paragi set a world record, and Angela Németh became an Olympic champion as well. I originally aspired to be a track and field athlete but wasn’t talented enough. Later, I worked as a coach and even served briefly as a national coach before transitioning to a career in science.
What are you currently working on in your research?
We are conducting a one-year intervention study with participants aged 50 to 70. They train at our sports club and at the Hungarian University of Sports Science, engaging in at least three sessions per week. During each training session, we measure key metrics such as heart rate, heart rate recovery, muscle mass, muscle power, heart function, and bone density. We also collect blood and stool samples to analyse DNA methylation, which reflects biological age. Aging is a universal process but occurs uniquely for each individual, with lifestyle playing a significant role. For example, take Jennifer Lopez—at 54, she looks closer to 34. This shows how lifestyle choices can influence the aging process. We focus on how exercise impacts DNA methylation, which in turn affects genes related to diseases like cancer. Regular exercise, for instance, has been shown to reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, as well as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even Alzheimer's. Studies show that a certain level of VO2 max (Maximum Oxygen Consumption) can reduce cancer risk by up to 50%, a result no drug can currently replicate.
At the end of our one-year intervention, we aim to assess how much younger participants become biologically compared to their chronological age. We recently published a study where we measured 65 Olympic champions, aged 25 to 103. On average, they were biologically 6.3 years younger than their chronological age, which demonstrates how exercise can impact aging. Although elite sports focus on performance, not health, this study shows the powerful effect of physical activity on biological age.
Why would you recommend your university, the Hungarian University of Sports Science?
Our university will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year and has a long and successful history in physical education and coaching training. If you see the number of Olympic champions in the world, Hungary is number nine, and the population is just 10 million. This is incredible, and I think this is partly because my university did quite a good job at coaching education. Our university offers a diverse range of courses and has a growing international presence. Currently, about 25% of our doctoral students are from abroad, and this number continues to rise each year. I believe this growing interest is a reflection of the quality of education and research that we offer, and I’m proud to be leading the doctoral school, where we emphasize both academic excellence and practical, results-driven learning. I hope that the global recognition we’ve received is a testament to the strength and effectiveness of our programs and the outstanding achievements of our students and faculty.