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Miracle-Gro for the brain

WTF is BDNF?

(Much of the info for this newsletter references “The Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint” by FoundMyFitness. Dr. Rhonda Patrick & team have done a great job of consolidating the research into an actionable guide. You can sign up to get the 9-pager for yourself at bdnfprotocols.com!) 

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a compound found primarily in our brains that promotes learning, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. Neurogenesis in the process of making new neurons (brain cells), which tends to drop off in adulthood but is still essential for memory formation. Neuroplasticity, however, is something we’ve only recently discovered. 

No longer do we believe the brain is static and unchangeable. Rather, our brains can continually adapt, change, and remodel throughout our lives—they’re “plastic!” It turns out that neuroplasticity is pretty essential if we are to grow and develop emotionally, mentally, and socially throughout our lives. I mean think about it… do you want to have the exact same brain at 80 as you had at 20? Sure, you may wish you had the processing power or speed, but hopefully experience and learning over the years gives you a much wiser brain by your final decades.

So it’s BDNF that’s one of the most essential triggers for this adaptive brain growth. How do we increase it? You’re never gonna guess:

Exercise.

How convenient! What a perfect topic to appear in this newsletter. That’s right—exercise is probably the most potent way to increase BDNF production and release. Particularly at higher intensities (80%+ of your max heart rate), the lactate we accumulate gets shuttled to our brains and triggers the activation of BDNF. So exercise is not only one of the best ways to keep our bodies sharp and resilient as we age, but it’s essential for brain health as well.

There are other triggers that increase BDNF too, such as heat exposure, Omega-3 fats, plant compounds, and perhaps some other practices like meditation and mental exercises.

In my personal experience, I really have seen a noticeable difference even in short-term learning and memory when I add exercise into the mix. Especially in graduate school, trying to absorb and process so much information while remaining sedentary all day, every day proved nearly impossible. It was essential that I exercised often. It brought mental clarity, helped me organize thoughts, and honestly, I think improved my retention and comprehension. How much of that is directly attributable to BDNF? I’m not sure exactly, but it’s certainly a non-zero amount!

So what kind of exercise boosts BDNF the most? It seems to be higher intensity cardio and/or HIIT. These types of exercise create the right byproducts and eustress to sprinkle that Miracle-Gro all over your noggin. 

The strategies: 

• 20–40 minutes of high intensity steady state cardio, with your average heart rate at least 80% of your max predicted HR. Ideally at least a couple times per week.

• HIIT: Intervals anywhere from 10 seconds to 90 seconds or so, with rest period anywhere from half to twice as long as the work period length. Reach near-max intensity and near-max heart rate, and repeat for 5–15 minutes. Ideally at least once per week.

• VO2max training: the 4x4x4 method is my personal favorite and one of the most effective for increasing your cardiorespiratory fitness—the BDNF is just another awesome side effect! Work (run, cycle, etc.) as hard as you can sustain for 4 minutes. Rest for ~4 minutes. Then repeat for 4 total times. 

Other ways to get your BDNF on

• Heat therapy: I’ve written more extensively about the topic here. Studies have shown that sauna and hot water submersion can increase BDNF. Personally, I wouldn’t argue if someone told me a long, hot bath is good for brain health. I know saunas aren’t the most accessible, but the ideal protocol seems to be 4–7 days per week for 20–30 minute sessions at ~175–200 degrees F. But any amount less than that can still be very beneficial!

• Omega-3 fatty acid consumption: Eat those healthy fats, people! So many of us aren’t getting the “good” fats our bodies thrive on. They’re so good for the brain, and it turns out that BDNF is part of that. You can take a supplement (1,500–2,000+ mg/day), but great food sources to eat at least weekly include olive oil, salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies, chia & flax seeds, walnuts, soybeans, pasture-raised eggs, & grass-fed meats.

• Other dietary strategies: A diet high in fiber, polyphenols (fancy word for all the wonderful compounds in plants), zinc, and probiotics has been found to promote BDNF in the brain. A healthy, well-rounded diet should already include all of these. No surprise that it’s as good for your brain as the rest of your body!

The takeaways:

Brain health is obviously important. We all want to stay mentally sharp, emotionally aware, open-minded (I hope), and open to lifelong growth as we age. If you’re in a period of high stress or facing a high volume of material to consume and learn, there should be no doubt that some high-intensity exercise can help you reach that goal. 

I’m not confident enough to say there’s causal relationship, but low BDNF has been associated with increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, suicide risk, depression, stroke, and other brain health issues.

I personally plan on doing just about anything I can—especially the low hanging fruit—to preserve brain health and start young. Tend to the garden of your brain and you’ll reap the rewards for decades! 🪴 

✅ Take Action

Every newsletter's Take Action section will invite you to take small steps to improve your health. Recognizing that we all have different capabilities, I'll offer three different levels of action you can choose to take.

Level 1: Explore high intensity. Use an online calculator to estimate your max heart rate. Then engage in an activity that gets you to 80% of that. Get your sweat on!

Level 2: Make a habit of pushing 80%+ intensity at least once per week! Not only are there obvious physical benefits, but there are plenty of brain benefits as well!

Level 3: Maximize your brain protection protocols. High-intensity exercise, heat therapy, and a diet high in omega-3s and plants is going to get you much further than most people!

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✍️ Drew's Picks:

• Hope: Some cancers could soon be detected by simple blood tests. We love scientific progress!!! Now let’s see how much insurance covers lol.

• Contribute: I mentioned this awhile back, but I joined the NIH’s All of Us research study of over 1 million Americans. I believe it’s going to contribute greatly to national health. And guess what—they just sent me a free Fitbit! That’s right, I got to upgrade my Charge 5 to a Charge 6 for free 😎 Sign up today!

Send me your songs of summer ‘24 recs! I’m making a playlist!

Stay cool, my friends. Share this article with a loved one.

And if read to the bottom of this newsletter and you’d be interested in joining a pilot cohort of my personal health coaching clients, hit me up. 🤭

Keep moving,

Drew

The content in Move to Improve is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. It is always a good idea to consult with a trusted health professional before making any major lifestyle changes that could have a significant impact on your health. This is not a medical resource, and any opinions and articles are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional. Please think critically and take what I say with a grain of salt (aka don’t sue me).