Hope Molecules 101: What Are They & How You Can Make More

We know exercise has many benefits. It decreases stress and it amps up your energy level. It strengthens your muscles and keeps your heart happy — not to mention it can even improve your sleep. But, it turns out, that’s not all. When we exercise, our muscles secrete myokines, which are small proteins that travel to the brain and serve to upload our mood and outlook on life. Also known as hope molecules, myokines can improve your overall health by reaching every major organ and positively impacting every system — all while protecting the brain from the effects of aging.1

Now, how exactly do these hope molecules lift our spirits? Turns out, it's all about communication. Myokines act as messengers, relaying information between our muscles and other parts of the body, most notably the brain.2 They send signals that help regulate mood and even promote the growth of new brain cells. 

How to Harness Hope Molecules
But here's the kicker: you don't have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the myriad of benefits myokines can offer. Substances such as myHMB, which is one of the most efficient nutritional aids for maintaining muscle mass, as well as epicatechin, a compound that can be found naturally in foods like dark chocolate and green tea and is known to boost the body's defense system, help inhibit the breakdown of muscle tissue, therefore aiding the ability for the body to secrete myokines.

So, why does this matter? Because the healthier our muscles are, the more efficiently they can produce myokines. For instance, imagine your muscles as factories producing hope molecules. When these factories are well-maintained, thanks to compounds like myHMB and epicatechin, they can work at their optimal capacity, naturally improving your mood and reaching all of the other major systems in the body.

So, next time someone says that exercise makes them feel better, there's actually some solid science behind it. Consider incorporating supplements with myHMB and epicatechin into your daily routine to get the most out of your next workout.

SOURCES:

1. https://fherehab.com/learning/hope-molecules#:~:text=The%20Science%20of%20Hope%20Molecules,-During%20exercise%2C%20your&text=One%20of%20these%20chemicals%20is,from%20the%20effects%20of%20aging.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363662/#:~:text=Myokines%20are%20cytokines%20synthesized%20and,the%20brain%20through%20their%20receptors