When it comes to growing new brain cells and creating new healthy connections between our neurons, one molecule has been key to the conversation, bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Now recent indicates BDNF levels may be most elevated in the context of one specific form of exercise. That exercise? Resistance training. This is all the more reason for us to prioritize weightlifting and resistance against body weight or bands as a key intervention for promoting brain health. If you’d like to

These may be the best exercises for BDNF in depression. If you are concerned about your mental health, please consider seeking professional care. Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/da/5716755 | Austin Perlmutter, MD

Depression struggles to take hold in a body that keeps moving. Every step, stretch, or workout sparks a surge of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—the brain’s natural mood boosters. At the same time, movement increases BDNF, a key protein that rewires the brain for resilience, lowers stress hormones like cortisol, improves sleep, and boosts blood flow to the brain. All of this creates a powerful neurochemical environment that fights off depressive states, proving that motion isn’t just exercis