Episode 231 - New Study: 20 Hour Fast vs. Exercise for Learning and Memory!

This week I discuss a January 2023 study comparing fasting, 90 minute light exercise and high intensity exercise when it comes to upregulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein involved in neuroplasticity, learning and memory, and may underlie some of these neuroprotective effects. Here are the results:

- Fasting for 20 hours caused a 9-fold increase in ketone body delivery to the brain but had no effect on any metric of BDNF in peripheral circulation at rest.

- Prolonged (90 min) light cycling exercise increased plasma- and serum-derived BDNF irrespective of being fed or fasted about 6-8%

- Six minutes of high-intensity cycling intervals increased every metric of circulating BDNF by 4 to 5 times more than prolonged low-intensity cycling; the increase in plasma-derived BDNF was correlated with a 6-fold increase in circulating lactate irrespective of feeding or fasting.

Conclusion: Compared to 1 day of fasting with or without prolonged light exercise, high-intensity exercise is a much more efficient means to increase BDNF in circulation. So go out there and do some high intensity exercise either on a bike, sprinting, rowing, and/or swimming!

Have a great day!

Link to BDNF Study:

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP283582

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