Lifting for the Mind: How Heavy Lifting and Osteocalcin Boost Brain Health

October 6, 2024

by Cathe Friedrich

Who knew that lifting weights could be a brain booster? Aerobic exercise gets all the credit for that. If you’re like most people you grab a pair of dumbbells or a barbell with the goal of sculpting your biceps or getting a set of six-pack abs. The health of your brain isn’t top of mind.

Yet research shows that when we lift heavy weights, we’re giving our brains a workout too. And it’s more than just a boost in mindset. The secret ingredient is a hormone called osteocalcin. Ever heard of it? It helps preserve bone health and lower the risk of osteoporosis, but research shows it may boost brain health too.

Beyond Bulging Biceps

When you do a set of biceps curls or squats, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Your hormones awaken and do a complex dance. One such hormone is myostatin, a protein that stymies muscle growth. Your body knows that you’re lifting heavy and trying to get stronger and build muscle, so myostatin decreases to ensure you maximize your gains. You don’t want an inhibitor of muscle growth when you’re trying to build muscle and get stronger.

But something else happens when myostatin drops. Osteocalcin, a hormone that boosts bone growth, goes up. But osteocalcin is more than a one-trick pony. Research shows it enhances brain health too. It can also easily cross the blood-brain barrier where research suggests it boosts cognitive function and your mood.

There’s also evidence that osteocalcin increases neurogenesis, the formation of new brain cells. One area of research is how osteocalcin affects cognitive function and memory. One study found that mice that had higher amounts of osteocalcin in their bodies performed better on memory tests than those who didn’t. Another bonus: osteocalcin helps regulate mood. It may even reign in anxiety and depression.

Despite the success with animal studies, the results in humans are less consistent, due to differences in methodology.

The Science Behind the Scenes

So, how does osteocalcin work its magic in the brain? Once osteocalcin crosses the blood-brain barrier, it connects with neurons, also known as nerve cells, in the brain. It’s these cells that carry information throughout your brain and play a key role in cognitive function and memory. It also binds to receptors in your brain that turn on genes that enhance your ability to learn and remember. In this way, it boosts cognitive function.

Once it crosses the blood-brain barrier, osteocalcin interacts with neurons, the cells responsible for transmitting information throughout the brain. It binds to specific receptors, triggering a cascade of biochemical reactions that boost brain function.

To sum it up, osteocalcin is like a messenger that crosses your blood-brain barrier and interacts with neurons and receptors that control cognitive function and memory. And what increases osteocalcin? The drop in myostatin that strength training triggers! Osteocalcin also turns on genes involved in cognitive function. Plus, research also shows it affects the production of chemicals called neurotransmitters that impact mood.

How to Strength Train to Boost Osteocalcin and Brain Health

Not all weight training is created equal for increasing osteocalcin and boosting brain health. Here are some tips for getting the most benefits:

Focus on Heavy Lifting

Heavy lifting and lower reps are more effective for boosting osteocalcin than lighter weights and higher reps. So, choose challenging weights that fatigue the muscles you’re working within 4 to 6 repetitions to recruit the most osteocalcin. A good rule of thumb is:

Reps and Sets: 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps.
Rest Intervals: 2-3 minutes between sets to allow for recovery and maintain intensity.

Focus on Compound Movements

When you do compound, or multi-joint movements, you engage more muscle groups than isolation exercises that only target a single muscle group. These exercises are more likely to stimulate the hormonal responses you need for osteocalcin production. Here are some of the best:

Squats: Great for engaging the lower body and core.
Deadlifts: Target the posterior chain, including the back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Bench Press: Works the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups: Excellent for the back and biceps.
Overhead Press: Engages the shoulders and core.

Progressive Overload

To keep your muscles growing and osteocalcin levels rising, gradually increase the weight you lift over time, as you become stronger. This continuously challenges your muscles, so they’re forced to adapt and grow.

Consistency is Key

Aim for at least 2-3 strength training sessions per week. Consistency helps support and maintain muscle growth and the associated hormonal benefits, including osteocalcin production.

Balance with Recovery

Ensure you’re getting enough rest between workouts to allow your muscles to repair and grow. This recovery period is when your body adapts and potentially increases osteocalcin production.

Nutrition and Hydration

Support muscle growth and osteocalcin production by including healthy sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in your diet. Don’t forget to hydrate too.

Vary Your Workouts

While heavy lifting is key, incorporating several types of resistance training can prevent plateaus and keep your workouts interesting. Try mixing in some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or plyometrics for variety.

Potential Implications and Future Research

While the connection between heavy lifting, osteocalcin, and brain benefits is promising, we need more research to better understand the mechanisms that underly the benefits. Scientists are still unraveling the complex interactions between these hormones and the brain, and future studies will help clarify how we can harness these benefits most effectively.

Conclusion

When you grab a pair of dumbbells or a barbell to do a deadlift or squat, it’s more than your muscles that are getting a boost. You’re also boosting your brain power! Plus, the mood-boosting benefits of osteocalcin can give your mood a lift at the same time. You’re getting multiple benefits when you work your muscles against resistance and you’re even supporting brain health. So, embrace the iron and reap the rewards!

References:

Arnaud Obri, Lori Khrimian, Gerard Karsenty, and Franck Oury. “Osteocalcin in the Brain: From Embryonic Development to Age-Related Decline in Cognition.” Nature Reviews Endocrinology 14, no. 3 (January 29, 2018): 174–82. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.181.
Shan, Chang, Arijit Ghosh, Xing-zhi Guo, Shu-min Wang, Yan-fang Hou, Sheng-tian Li, and Jian-min Liu. “Roles for Osteocalcin in Brain Signalling: Implications in Cognition- and Motor-Related Disorders.” Molecular Brain 12, no. 1 (March 25, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13041-019-0444-5.
Rowe, Paul, Adam Koller, and Sandeep Sharma. “Physiology, Bone Remodeling.” Nih.gov. StatPearls Publishing, March 17, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499863/#:~:text=Bones%20are%20not%20inert%20structures%20within%20the%20human%20body;%20they.
‌ Qi XS, He X, Peng Y, He XH, Yang QY, Jiao K, Liu H. Roles of osteocalcin in the central nervous system. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2024 Sep;30(9):e70016. doi: 10.1111/cns.70016. PMID: 39252492; PMCID: PMC11386255.
Karsenty, Gerard. “Osteocalcin: A Multifaceted Bone-Derived Hormone.” Annual Review of Nutrition 43, no. 1 (August 21, 2023): 55–71. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-061121-091348.

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