5 Powerful Mental Benefits of Exercise

Disclaimer: Not Medical Advice. Opinions are my own.

In partnership with LMNT
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Today's Newsletter at a glance:

• Mental Benefits of Exercise

• Studies Worth Sharing

• The Importance of Hydration

• Building Your Total Fitness Plan

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Exercise is a proven lever of longevity I encourage everyone to pull.

Evidence shows a strong correlation between VO2 max and all-cause mortality. The higher your VO2 max, the lower your risk of all-cause mortality.

There's no denying the self-confidence and physical effects of exercise.

The number on the scale starts to inch closer to your ideal weight. Your old clothes start to fit better. You can see changes in your body composition in the mirror.

The small daily wins start to stack, and the rewards of the promises you hold with yourself.

Exercising produces tangible feedback loops that can be observed. Less obvious but equally important are the mental effects of breaking a sweat.

Your Brain on Runs: Natural High

The effects of exercise, specifically cardio, are remarkable.

When you elevate your heart rate, you are:

• Increasing blood flow to the brain

• Increasing the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine

• Promoting the release of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), supporting memory, learning, and mood.

• Reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines

Exercise can become your dependable cognitive enhancer.

Studies Worth Sharing

How drastic are the mental effects of exercise on the brain? Could exercise be Mother Nature's antidepressant?

​A meta-analysis published in late 2022 compared the effectiveness of antidepressants and exercise in treating non-severe depression.

​The study observed 21 randomized control trials (n=2551) and suggested the following conclusion: "There were no differences in treatment effectiveness among the three main interventions, although all treatments were more beneficial than controls."

This means the authors found that exercise and antidepressants were equally effective in treating non-severe depression in adults. Exercise can be explored as a viable alternative to SSRIs for managing non-severe depressive symptoms, with the added benefits of improving physical health and reducing medication-related side effects.

Pretty awesome, right?

What was the minimal and optimal effective dosage to reap the benefits?

Optimal dose: The minimum effective dose is estimated to be 320 METs-min per week, with the optimal response at 860 METs-min per week, indicating a dose-response relationship.

(Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks (METs) is a unit used to quantify the intensity of physical activities. One MET is defined as the energy expenditure at rest, which is approximately 3.5 mL O2·kg−1·min−1 or about 1kcal·kg−1·h−1. This unit allows for comparing the energy cost of different activities relative to resting energy expenditure.
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Further Studies Worth Exploring

​Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Treatments of Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis for a Clinical Guideline by the American College of Physicians.​

Gartlehner G, Dobrescu A, Chapman A, et al. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2023;176(2):196-211. doi:10.7326/M22-1845.

​Effect of Exercise for Depression: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.​

Noetel M, Sanders T, Gallardo-Gómez D, et al. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.). 2024;384:e075847. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075847

The Importance of Hydration

(In Partnership with LMNT)

Water is a key component in mental and physical function. It plays a foundational role in every cell.

Dehydration is a surefire way to stunt mental and physical performance. The solution is so simple: hydrate.

The amount of water you need daily depends on several factors, including your body weight, activity level, and climate.

Hydration Protocol: 0.7 x Total Body Weight = Daily Target Ounces of Water

For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, your goal would be to drink 70 ounces of water.

Check out this hydration calculator for better accuracy: HERE.

If you are active, live in a hot climate, enjoy saunas, or sweat heavily, you deplete your water and electrolyte reserves. In this case, you would need to increase your water intake, ideally with electrolytes (Sodium, magnesium, potassium, etc).

​LMNT has been my go-to electrolyte brand. It tastes great and helps me replenish my electrolytes after a hard workout or sauna. Grapefruit Salt is my favorite flavor.
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Ready to level up your hydration? Enjoy a FREE sample pack of eight flavors today with any purchase, plus a money-back satisfaction guarantee.​
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If you don't like it for any reason, they offer an unlimited duration money-back guarantee where you don’t even need to return the box, so you can buy it 100% risk-free.

Building a Total Fitness Plan

Do cardio to live longer. Lift weights for quality of life .Combine both for the best life. - Dan Go

Common Question: "Is strength training or cardio 'better'?"

Neither is 'better' than the other. They serve different purposes.

However, both are necessary when building out your total fitness program.

Resistance Training: Promotes muscle maintenance and growth, stability, metabolic regulation, and the ability to take on life.

Cardio Training: Improves cardiorespiratory fitness and efficiency.

Most of us are training for a healthier, happier life—not our next bodybuilding competition. (If you are, kudos to you!).

The actual activity matters less than the consistency.

Run, swim, bike, hike, dance, play, lift, etc. - continue with the activities that never fail to call you back.

Find a blend that matches your goals.
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Currently, I'm at a blend of 60-70% resistance training and 30-40% cardio training to improve VO2 Max and muscle maintenance.
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​Remember: You are never too old, and it's never too late to start a fitness journey.

Start small. Sweat daily.

Let the power of compounding do the rest.
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Only the best,

Jeremy London, MD

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Recipes of the week:

​Greek Inspired Chicken Bowl + Chia Seed Protein Pudding​