Research
Hormonal
Skeletal muscle-derived myokines (Irisin, Cathepsin B) and metabolites (Lactate, β-Hydroxybutyrate, Kynurenic Acid) mediate exercise-induced neuroprotection, angiogenesis, and memory enhancement via blood-brain barrier signaling.
Regular physical activity sends chemical signals from your muscles to your brain that protect neurons, improve memory, and boost mood. You don't need to know the specific molecules; consistent exercise is the key to activating this muscle-to-brain communication system.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Skeletal muscle-initiated crosstalk with other tissues is accomplished though the secretion of myokines... the enhanced release or uptake of metabolites from and into contracting muscle cells... can act as a powerful mediator of tissue interactions, in particular in regard to the central nervous system.
Why this rating
Strong mechanistic evidence in rodents; human data is correlational or limited.
Source
Endocrine Crosstalk Between Skeletal Muscle and the Brain
Julien Delezie et al. · Frontiers in Neurology · 2018
DOI 10.3389/fneur.2018.00698
narrative_reviewCited 267×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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