The muscles are released with exercise and help your mental health./ Photo: Bond Sport.
Mental health
Endorphins are not the only ones responsible for making you feel good when you exercise. Myokines also play a role in this well-being, and also improve memory, learning and depression.
By Maria Corisco
March 6, 2024 / 1:30 p.m.
Whenever people talk about the benefits of sport for their mood, they refer to endorphins. Known as “happiness hormones,” these chemicals, capable of reducing pain and promoting feelings of well-being and euphoria, are released when we do physical exercise. Hence, many sports fans tell how good they feel mentally and emotionally after a good workout. But there are other, less well-known molecules that also contribute to this well-being. Are the myokines.
They are colloquially said to be the “molecules of hope” because they offer hope in the field of regenerative medicine and therapies for situations that previously had limited treatment options.
What are myokines and how do they work?
It’s easy for his name to be unfamiliar to you. Myokines are a group of molecules that are released by musculoskeletal tissue during muscle contraction. That is, the muscles, when contracting – like when we exercise – secrete these chemicals into the bloodstream.
For years, researchers have focused on its potential to offer therapeutic benefits in different situations, such as metabolic, inflammatory, bone, and muscle diseases. But, recently, this focus has expanded, and the role they play in mental health is now being seen.
Thus, it has been seen that these molecules of hope travel from the bloodstream to the brain, cross the blood-brain barrier and have the ability to act as antidepressants: improve mood, learning ability, and can even help protect the brain from the negative effects of aging. This is what is known as the muscle-brain endocrine circuit.
One of the greatest exponents in this field is Dr. Bente Klarlund Pedersen, a professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Copenhagen and director of the Center for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), whose studies have contributed significantly to the understanding of how myokines can influence human physiology and health, and how they could be used as therapeutic molecules in the treatment of various diseases and medical conditions, including mental health.
Thus, in one of his studies, he explains that “exercise has many beneficial effects on brain health, contributes to reducing the risks of dementia, depression and stress, and plays a role in restoring and maintaining cognitive function and metabolic control”.
From here, the role played by the molecules of hope is considered, and he points out that “evidence is accumulating that can improve neuron formation, memory, and learning”. Likewise, it details the mechanisms by which myokines can reduce symptoms similar to those of depression.
How they improve mental health
Traditionally, research has focused on the effects of myokines on metabolic and muscle health, but more recent studies are exploring its impact on mental health and mood:
They regulate neuroinflammation. It has been suggested that some myokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), may have anti-inflammatory effects in the central nervous system. Neuroinflammation has been linked to mood disorders, such as depression, and it is thought that reducing inflammation can have positive effects on mental health.
Stimulation of neuronal growth. Some research suggests that certain myokines, such as fibroblast-derived growth factor 21 (FGF21), may promote growth and survival of neurons in the brain. This could have implications for mental health by improving neural plasticity and cognitive function.
Reduction of oxidative stress. Myokines may also have antioxidant properties that help reduce oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress has been linked to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, so reducing this stress can have beneficial effects in mental health.
Promotion of general well-being. Physical exercise, which is a way to stimulate the release of myokines, has consistently been associated with better mental health and a more positive mood. Myokines may play a role in the beneficial mental health effects of exercise by improving brain function, reducing stress, and promoting an overall sense of well-being.