Your Muscles May Be Giving Your Brain a Boost

Brainpower: You already know strength training builds muscle and supports your metabolism, and you may have even learned that it benefits your brain, too. What’s less obvious, however, is how exactly it does that. One piece of that puzzle is irisin, a hormone your muscles release during exercise that’s been linked to brain health. A new study looked at how this hormone may connect strength training with better memory and cognitive function.

The Study: Researchers followed 30 healthy adults over 65 who completed a 12-week resistance program. The team then drew blood at different times during their workouts and found that a single strength-training workout triggered a spike in irisin. Interestingly, memory improvements were linked to peak levels of the hormone, and participants also picked up noticeably better verbal fluency by the end of the study. However, the burst of irisin was temporary, with levels returning to baseline after exercise.

The Takeaway: When it comes to strength training and the brain, consistency and regular exercise may matter more than the intensity of any single workout.

Keep in Mind: This was a small study focused on adults over 65, so scientists still need to confirm the pattern holds for younger lifters and over longer stretches.