Irisin

What is it?

Irisin is a messenger substance that muscles release into the blood during movement (a myokine). It can cross the blood-brain barrier and so also reaches the brain.

What does the research say?

• Johns Hopkins University, 2022: Researchers led by Ted Dawson and Bruce Spiegelman showed in mice that irisin protects dopamine nerve cells. Mice with increased irisin did not develop movement disorders despite pathological alpha-synuclein, and irisin sped up the breakdown of alpha-synuclein in the cells. It also protects the mitochondria.
• People with Parkinson's: In a study with 23 patients, irisin levels rose after twelve weeks of exercise training, and the rise went along with better balance. An observational study from 2024 found that more irisin in the blood went along with a milder disease.
• Review 2026: A review from Brazil sums up that irisin produced through exercise is linked to better thinking, less inflammation in the brain and better adaptability of the nerve cells.

There are no studies yet that test irisin directly as a drug. Because it is a hormone the body makes itself, it can hardly be patented, and the pharmaceutical industry invests little.

What this means for me

For me, irisin is a scientific explanation for what I experience every day: I move a lot, and I feel better for it. While I do, my muscles produce a substance that could protect the nerve cells. That makes exercise more than fitness. How I train is described under Exercise and Movement.

My conclusion

A strong argument for daily movement. Irisin does not come as a pill, and the only way to get it is to move.