Research
Hormonal
Physical exercise increases cerebrospinal fluid and plasma levels of Orexin-A, which may contribute to exercise-induced hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive benefits.
Engage in regular physical exercise. Beyond physical fitness, this increases Orexin-A levels, which may support brain health, neurogenesis, and cognitive performance by crossing the blood-brain barrier.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Interestingly, physical exercise produces an increase of orexin-A level in cerebrospinal fluid of rats, dogs and cats, and in plasma of humans (Messina G. et al., 2016).
Why this rating
Based on a review of existing literature citing specific studies on exercise and orexin levels.
Source
Orexin System: The Key for a Healthy Life
Sergio Chieffi et al. · Frontiers in Physiology · 2017
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2017.00357
narrative_reviewCited 221×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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