The Study
Changes in serum BDNF levels associated with moderate-intensity exercise in healthy young Japanese men
This study watched what happened to 33 guys after they rode a stationary bike for 30 minutes. It saw that sometimes their BDNF went up, sometimes it didn’t — but on average, it didn’t change enough to say for sure the bike ride caused it. So we can’t say exercise definitely boosts BDNF in these guys — just that it might for some.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested if a 30-minute bike ride makes a brain-boosting chemical called BDNF go up in young Japanese men.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 527 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Even though some men saw a boost, the average didn't change — so this workout didn't reliably increase the brain chemical for most Japanese men in this study.
- 2Half the guys (18 out of 33) had more BDNF after biking, but on average, the group didn't show a rise.
- 3Their starting BDNF was lower than in Western men.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
SpringerPlus
Year
2013
Authors
A. Goda, S. Ohgi, Kazuhiro Kinpara, K. Shigemori, Kanji Fukuda, E. Schneider
Related Content
Claims (6)
Physical activity that causes muscles to contract raises levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the blood, leading to improved adaptability and function of neurons in the brain.
In healthy young Japanese men, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at 60% VO2max does not result in a statistically significant average increase in serum BDNF levels across the group, but 55% of individuals experienced individual increases.
Healthy young Japanese men have lower levels of BDNF in their blood at rest compared to healthy young men from Western countries.
Without a control group and genetic testing, it is not possible to determine whether changes in BDNF levels are caused by exercise or by other factors like stress or genetic differences.
About half of Japanese men carry a genetic variant that reduces the release of BDNF during neural activity, and this variant is linked to variable changes in blood BDNF levels after moderate exercise.
Blood sampling and lab procedures lower BDNF levels in healthy young men, which reduces the increase in BDNF that normally occurs after exercise.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.