Lifestyle: New study unveils link between workout and healthy brain

It is true that workout is great for the brain. However, now we can say specifically how this all works, as a new study has just unveiled the science facts that link workout to a healthy brain.

Workout creates new cells in the hippocampus, which has to do with memory and learning, as workout engages the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, widely known as ‘Miracle-Gro for the Brain’.

NYU’s Langone Medical Center’s researchers gathered some mice and divided them into two groups: one with a running wheel in their cages, the other didn’t. After the period of a month, the mice’s brains were looked at and, of course, the runners possessed more BDNF than the non-runners.

Upon closer examination, the researchers found out that the runners’ brains possessed great levels of ketones, which is a chemical compound made by the body breaking down fat.

The ketones are important for fending off a specific kind of molecular cluster that obstructs the BDNF gene from producing BDNF. The passive mice’s brains were a lot more covered with the clusters than the active ones’, hence portraying the body from providing BDNF.

Meanwhile the runners’ brains were able to produce more, thus boosting a stronger, healthier brain. However, before you begin to celebrate, ketone production doesn’t start until an hour or so of intense exercise, once the body has finished its stores of sugars and starts to burn fat.