When I started Power of One Fitness over ten years ago, it was on the back of the reams of science showing how great exercise was for not only your body, but also your brain. And science keeps on giving.  I thought I’d share some more about something quite fascinating our muscles get up to when we exercise – and how that does wonders for both body and brain. The buzzword is myokines and they’re properly worth exploring, as because of them the muscles are literally chatting to the rest of our body. Those 80s popsters, Imagination, might well have been on to something with their hit song, Body Talk. 😉

What on earth are myokines?

When you contract your skeletal muscles (that’s any time you move, walk, jog, lift something, do yoga, dance, anything…), your muscles don’t just work in isolation. They release chemical messengers called myokines. These are peptides – the building blocks of proteins – secreted by muscle fibres, and they travel around your body and help coordinate a world of beneficial activity. The Company of Biologists+2PubMed+2

In effect: your muscles are acting like a mini endocrine organ (they’re the parts of our bodies that produce and release hormones). Your muscles are chatting to fat tissue, liver, brain, pancreas, and more. PubMed+2PMC+2

Why should we care? Because they’re doing brilliant things.

Here are some of the benefits of activating these myokines through exercise.

For the body:

• They help regulate metabolism: Myokines help your muscle use glucose, help with fat breakdown, help liver and adipose tissue behave more nicely. PubMed+2PMC+2

• They help with inflammation: Regular exercise‑induced myokines contribute to an anti‑inflammatory environment. That’s good because chronic inflammation is linked with things like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. PubMed

• They’re part of the reason why exercise helps stave off chronic disease: The “muscle‑as‑endocrine‑organ” idea gives a mechanism for why people who are active tend to have better metabolic health. PubMed

For the brain (yes, your muscles also support your brain):

• Brain‑body “crosstalk”: There’s increasing evidence that myokines released from muscle help the brain – for example by promoting neurogenesis (growth of new neurons) and supporting memory and learning. The Physiological Society+1

• Mood and resilience: Sometimes myokines are called as “hope molecules”, because your muscles send signals to the brain that help resilience, mood, and maybe help you deal with stress. Spirituality+Health+1

• Protecting cognition: Especially as we age, exercise‑triggered myokines are implicated in reducing the risk of cognitive decline, supporting brain health. PubMed+1

What does this mean for you (in everyday terms)?

• Move your body – even a little bit counts. Because those muscle contractions = release of myokines. Your muscles sending good signals, your brain and body getting the benefits.

• Variety helps – both cardio (walking, running, cycling) and resistance (lifting, body‑weight exercises) have been shown to produce myokines. PMC+1

• Consistency over perfection – you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to do it fairly regularly. Even moderate activity triggers the process.

• Mind‑body bonus – besides just the physical perks, don’t forget your mental health gains too. If you’re feeling sluggish, stressed, foggy in the brain, then this is one tool in your toolkit.

• Aging & brain health – as we get older, moving our body isn’t just about staying “fit”, it’s about keeping the brain wired, the mood stable, muscle and brain well‑connected. The science around myokines supports this.

To sum it up

Your muscles are more than just “things that move you around”. They’re communicators. When you move, they send out signals that help your body regulate metabolism, fight inflammation, support mental health, boost brain function, and support resilience. 

So next time you’re doing some movement – even a brisk walk, or a gentle weights session – you can quietly give your muscles a little thank-you for the work they’re doing behind the scenes.