Exercise Is Your Brain’s Best Friend
By Dr. Mike
We all know that exercise is good for the heart.
But here’s what more people need to understand:
🧠 Exercise is the single most powerful tool we have to protect the brain.
Yes—more than crossword puzzles, more than supplements, more than any one food.
And unlike your genetics or age, you control this one.
The Neuroscience of Movement
Here’s what happens every time you move your body:
- You increase BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), a growth factor that helps neurons survive and thrive
- You activate IGF-1 and Klotho, two longevity-related proteins with protective effects on the brain
- You improve insulin sensitivity, which reduces chronic inflammation and oxidative stress—major contributors to cognitive decline
- You promote blood flow and capillary health, keeping your brain well-fed with oxygen and nutrients
And the research shows it clearly:
🧠 + Being inactive increases dementia risk by 40%.
That’s nearly the same as smoking, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
What Kind of Exercise Helps the Most?
Peter Attia and many experts agree: variety wins. You want to hit your body—and your brain—from multiple angles.
✅ Aerobic Training (Cardio / Zone 2)
- Improves mitochondrial health
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports blood vessel function
- Protects memory and executive function
✅ Resistance Training
- Builds and maintains lean mass (key as we age)
- Preserves type 2 muscle fibers that also affect balance and brain engagement
- Requires focus, coordination, and cognitive demand
✅ Cognitively Engaging Movement
- Activities like dancing, tennis, martial arts, or basketball involve rapid decision-making, timing, and pattern recognition—this is brain training in motion.
“The more types of movement you do, the more parts of your brain you light up.”
What If I Already Have Cognitive Impairment?
It’s not too late.
A 2022 meta-analysis found that resistance training may slow cognitive decline more than other forms of exercise in people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.
That’s not just prevention—that’s therapy.
🧠 What This Means for You
If you want to protect your brain, move your body.
But don’t just stick to one routine. The best strategy combines:
- Steady cardio (Zone 2 training)
- Strength training (2–3x per week)
- Some kind of play or movement that makes you think while you move
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent.
🧠 Your Next Steps at Action Medicine
- Ask us about your Zone 2 heart rate range and how to build it into your week
- Get a resistance training plan tailored to your age, fitness, and goals
- Interested in tracking progress? We can test VO₂ max, muscle mass, and metabolic function right in the office
Movement is medicine. And your brain is begging for a dose.
Let’s build a brain-body plan that lasts for decades.