Granada, Spain – New research out of Granada, Spain, has revealed that running a marathon can lead to a temporary decrease in brain myelin levels. Myelin, a fatty substance that aids in insulating neurons and facilitating efficient communication, sees a reduction in areas related to motor coordination and sensory processing during extreme endurance activities like marathon running.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of the Basque Country, CIC biomaGUNE, and IIS Biobizkaia, found that myelin levels begin to rebound within a few weeks post-marathon and fully recover by two months. This discovery sheds light on a novel role of myelin in brain energy metabolism and may hold implications for the treatment of demyelinating diseases.
During prolonged exercise such as running a marathon, the body depletes its energy reserves, leading to the utilization of myelin lipids as a source of energy. While the body primarily consumes carbohydrates, like glycogen, as fuel during a marathon, it turns to fats for energy once glycogen stores are depleted.
The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to observe changes in myelin content in the brains of marathon runners before and after the race. They found a significant decrease in myelin levels in areas associated with motor coordination, sensory processing, and emotional integration within 48 hours post-marathon. However, these levels recovered substantially within two weeks and fully normalized after two months.
The study suggests that myelin may act as an emergency energy source for the brain during periods of extreme physical exertion. This new insight challenges previous notions about the role of myelin in brain function and highlights the complex nature of brain energy metabolism.
Furthermore, the researchers emphasized that while running marathons may temporarily deplete myelin levels, it is ultimately beneficial for brain health as it exercises the brain’s metabolic machinery. Understanding how myelin levels recover quickly after extreme exercise may offer valuable insights for developing treatments for conditions like multiple sclerosis, where myelin depletion contributes to structural damage and degeneration.
In conclusion, the study breaks new ground in exploring the energy role of myelin in the brain and underscores the importance of further research in understanding the impact of extreme exercise on brain function. The findings open up new avenues for investigating the relationship between myelin, exercise, and brain health, with potential implications for managing neurological conditions related to myelin damage.