Muscles release specific signaling molecules called myokines that communicate with the liver, brain, and gut microbiota to regulate their function.

We analyzed the available evidence and found that muscles release specific signaling molecules called myokines that communicate with the liver, brain, and gut microbiota to regulate their function [1]. These molecules are produced and released by muscle tissue during movement, especially during exercise, and travel through the bloodstream to influence other organs. The liver, for example, may adjust how it processes energy based on signals from these myokines. In the brain, they may affect mood, focus, or inflammation. In the gut, they appear to interact with the community of microbes living there, potentially shaping digestion and immune responses. What we’ve found so far is based on 62 studies or assertions that support this idea, with none that contradict it. This suggests the evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward myokines playing a role in connecting muscle activity to these distant systems. However, we don’t yet know exactly how each myokine works in each organ, or whether the effects are the same for everyone. The research is still developing, and we’re learning more about which myokines are involved, when they’re released, and how strong their effects are. For now, the clearest takeaway is this: moving your body doesn’t just build muscle — it sends chemical messages that help your liver, brain, and gut work better together.