Strength Training and Myokines: Unlocking Exercise as Medicine

Think strength training is just about building muscle? Think again. Your workouts activate myokines that positively influence nearly every organ in your body.

In this episode, Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher break down the world of myokines--the powerful messengers released during exercise that can fight disease, sharpen your brain, and even slow aging. Expect to learn how strength training floods your body with health-boosting signals, why myokines are called “magic,” and ways strength protects both your lifespan and healthspan.

Tune in to discover why muscle is the most underrated organ in your body—and how to tap into its hidden power.

• Dr. Fisher starts by describing why we need to think of muscle differently: It’s not just tissue that moves your body, it’s a chemical messenger system that sends positive signals all over the body. 
• Amy and Dr. Fisher cover why exercise is medicine. Each contraction releases myokines that calm inflammation, boost immunity, and even protect against cancer and neurological decline. 
• For decades, scientists knew muscles released “something,” but the name myokines wasn’t coined until 2003. Now we know muscles are the largest endocrine organ in our bodies.
• Dr. Fisher explains the endocrine connection: Your muscles talk to organs the way your thyroid or pancreas does, constantly sending and receiving instructions. 
• According to Amy, you don’t need six months of training before myokines start working. Just one resistance session floods your body with signals that improve energy, mood, and metabolism.
• How to fight belly fat naturally. According to Dr. Fisher, a myokine called interleukin-15 literally shrinks fat cells, making them store less. At the same time, it activates immune cells that protect you against tumors and infections.
• Amy compares myokines to magic. Science shows that training creates chemical changes that feel almost supernatural. The “magic” is your body healing itself from the inside out.
• Learn how exercise boosts your brain: Myokines like BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) act like fertilizer for your brain cells. They help you think sharper, learn faster, and protect against cognitive decline.
• Dr. Fisher explains why muscle growth isn’t accidental. There’s a molecule called myostatin that tries to limit your muscle growth. Resistance training shuts it down—so your muscles can grow instead of being held back.
• Amy explains the anti-aging effects of strength training. 
• Dr. Fisher highlights the consequences of aging without strength: Frailty, injuries, and dependence. Building strength is the single best insurance policy against that future.
• According to Amy, life is not about how long you live—it’s about how long you can thrive. Myokines help you extend the years you can stay active, engaged, and vibrant.
• Amy and Dr. Fisher discuss how every squat, push, or pull unlocks healing compounds you can’t get from a pill. 
• Amy’s parting thoughts: Your body is wired to reward strength, that’s why each workout delivers an immediate chemical payoff that makes you feel good.

 

 

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