Research
Hormonal
Regular exercise promotes an anti-inflammatory state by reducing visceral adipose tissue and releasing anti-inflammatory myokines (e.g., IL-6 from skeletal muscle).
Engage in regular exercise to reduce systemic inflammation. This is achieved through reducing visceral fat and releasing anti-inflammatory myokines from skeletal muscle, which can improve metabolic health and mood.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Another mechanism whereby regular exercise and/or physical fitness may confer resilience is through minimizing inflammation.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies, including meta-analyses and RCTs, though some studies show no significant effect on CRP.
Source
Biological mechanisms underlying the role of physical fitness in health and resilience
Marni N. Silverman et al. · Interface Focus · 2014
DOI 10.1098/rsfs.2014.0040
narrative_reviewCited 400×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Regular physical fitness and exercise confer resilience by blunting and optimizing neuroendocrine stress responses (HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system), reducing inflammatory markers, and enhancing neuroplasticity.Good
- High aerobic fitness blunts the physiological stress response (cortisol, heart rate) to both physical and psychosocial stressors compared to low fitness levels.Good
- Regular exercise enhances neuroplasticity and growth factor expression (e.g., BDNF), which improves cognitive function, mood, and protects against stress-related brain changes.Good
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