You stopped at last time.
The story in four panels
Three reasons BDNF drops
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1The problem
A person breathing shallowly at a desk while an alarm bell rings overhead Stress overload!
Chronic stress is the number one thing that eats away at the brain's BDNF.
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2How it works
A tired person with a lowered head beside an almost empty battery And no exercise…
Lack of exercise and a diet high in fructose lower BDNF too.
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3What to do
A person running lightly with motion lines Let's run up a sweat
High-intensity aerobic exercise raises blood BDNF levels even more.
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4The change
A sprout growing from the top of a brain The brain comes back to life
When BDNF recovers, mood and focus revive along with serotonin.
- Previous post: BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor: what are you?
In the previous post, we learned that BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) keeps nerve cells active and plays a role in neural plasticity, improving our ability to adapt to outside stimuli. Just as plastic changes shape freely under force, BDNF has an important effect on expanding the brain’s capacity. This time, let’s look at what causes BDNF to run low and what gets in the way of BDNF release.
A photo with a brain drawn in the center. Photo: Milad Fakurian on Unsplash
1) Stress
Throughout life, we’re exposed to all kinds of environments that cause stress. Just take working life: many of us think, “The moment I win the lottery, I’m quitting.” A moderate amount of stress keeps us healthily alert and can be used as a source of energy in daily life, but excessive stress that harms our health damages not only our health but can even alter the structure of the brain.
In one study, the brains of mice exposed to stress for a long time came to resemble the brains of mice lacking BDNF (a nerve-cell growth factor). I recommend finding your own way to lift your mood that effectively lowers the stress you take on from outside.
2) Lack of exercise
Researchers at Johns Hopkins found that BDNF not only handles learning, memory and antidepressant functions in the brain but also affects heart muscle activity. According to a paper published in March 2020 in volume 31, issue 1 of the Korean journal Sports Science Research, “Effects of high-intensity and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on serum BDNF concentration, aging-related hormones and lifestyle-disease-related blood variables in middle-aged women,” researchers analyzed serum BDNF concentration, aging-related hormones and lifestyle-disease-related blood markers in 19 women who did high-intensity or moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for eight weeks. The results suggest that the group that did high-intensity aerobic exercise for eight weeks not only increased their maximal oxygen uptake and serum BDNF concentration more than the moderate-intensity group but could also bring about positive changes in aging-related hormones and lifestyle-related blood markers. Looked at the other way, a lack of exercise weakens BDNF release, so let’s catch two birds with one stone: exercise to protect our health and improve our brain function too.
3) Too much sugar
When you eat too much sugar, less BDNF, which together with other substances helps form memories, is produced. A moderate amount of sugar releases the neurotransmitter serotonin, lifting your mood and relieving stress. But with excessive sugar intake, serotonin is released so often that it’s easily depleted, which can not only cause symptoms of depression but also make sugar the worst factor for suppressing BDNF. In the end, it damages synaptic activity in the brain and impairs communication between brain cells, disrupting the hormones that send the “I’m full now” signal, so you overeat, which can even lead to weight gain. We knew sugar was bad for our health, but now that we know it also lowers our brain function, I recommend keeping your sugar intake moderate from now on.
In the end, the causes of BDNF deficiency were never far from the causes that harm our health. I hope that through healthy lifestyle habits, eating habits and stress management, you’ll protect a healthy brain where BDNF is released actively.
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