Regular physical activity has consistently been associated with improved mental health outcomes and a healthy stress response. A recent systematic review of 247 studies provided strong evidence that physical activity plays an important role in several factors related to mental health, including self-esteem, affect, self-efficacy, body image satisfaction, self-worth, resilience, social support, physical health, social connectedness, pain management, sleep, energy, and overall mental health and well-being. Regular physical activity may also support healthy stress responses and emotional resilience to acute stress. A randomized controlled study (n = 111) found that individuals who exercised at least once per week reported a smaller decline in positive affect after exposure to a stressful task relative to non-exercisers. 

Physical activity may also mitigate signs of depression and anxiety and support psychological well-being through multiple physiological pathways. For example, exercise has been shown to increase the circulation of several neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor, which mediate neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and improved brain vasculature. These processes support brain functioning in areas related to mental health, such as the hippocampus. 

Both aerobic exercise and strength training have been shown to support mental health. Regular aerobic exercise may support healthy stress responses by promoting cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity. It may also modulate circulating levels of stress hormones and signaling factors related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the autonomic nervous system, as commonly measured by the biomarkers cortisol and salivary α-amylase. 

Strength training exercise can help build and maintain muscle tone, which also plays a significant role in mental health and in promoting healthy stress responses. The skeletal muscle can be regarded as an endocrine and paracrine organ, where muscle-derived signaling proteins, called myokines, facilitate communication between the muscles and other organs, such as the liver, pancreas, skeletal system, adipose tissues, cardiovascular system, and the brain. Exercise-induced myokines, such as BDNF, irisin, cathepsin B, and interleukin 6, promote neural proliferation and synaptic plasticity, supporting cognitive and mental health.

What are some nutrients that can support muscle tone in conjunction with exercise?

• Collagen peptides support the maintenance of collagen, which is the primary structural component of connective tissues, accounting for as much as 30% of the body’s total protein. Collagen is responsible for muscle flexibility and adaptation and provides structure, support, and strength to muscles, helping them function properly. It has been shown to increase lean body mass and muscle strength in both male and female subjects.
• Bioactive peptides from the fava bean (Vicia faba), called natural peptide network NPN_1 (PeptiStrong™), were identified using a predictive machine learning approach for their optimized properties, supporting healthy inflammatory responses, muscle health, and muscle protein synthesis. 
• Creatine is stored in skeletal muscle and involved in muscular contractions. Both muscle strength and creatine may naturally decline with age. Creatine supplementation may support intramuscular creatine status, high-intensity exercise capacity, and lean body mass and promote lean body mass and muscle strength during resistance training. 
• Leucine is an essential amino acid that is considered to be the most anabolic. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends resistance exercise and adequate protein consumption in the range of 2.3 to 3.1 g/kg/day to maximize the retention of lean body mass, where the protein source contains 700 to 3,000 mg of leucine, in addition to a balanced content of all other essential amino acids. A systematic review of 16 randomized controlled studies found that individuals 65 years or older supplemented with leucine experienced beneficial effects on body weight and lean body mass.
• In addition to a balanced whole foods diet rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential amino acids, and essential fatty acids, some other nutrients that may support muscle tone, in conjunction with exercise, include β‐hydroxy β‐methylbutyrate, Vitamin D, and geranylgeraniol.

Learn more about physical activity, muscle tone, and health: 

Muscle Tone Matters: The Key to Optimal Body Composition and Metabolic Health

Collagen Peptides to Promote Skeletal Muscle

Randomized Controlled Trial Investigates PeptiStrong™ Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery & Restoration After Resistance Exercise

By Antonia Toupet, PhD