This Protein Makes Athletes Smarter

Say goodbye to the "dumb jock" stereotype. Recent studies are now showing that scientists have discovered that same protein responsible for learning and memory retention also fuels endurance and sports performance.

This single power protein called estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) is referred to as the "master metabolic switch" due to its power over how energy is allocated. It's long been known for it's ability to improve athletic performance, but this study found that it's also linked to memory and learning.

The study conducted found that ERRy increases blood supply, doubling running capacity while turning on a number of muscle genes that convert fat to energy. This study also found that ERRy does almost the same thing for your brain, except it burns sugar instead of fat. This backs up years of extensive research that shows how our muscles and brain work together to enhance each other.

So you weren't always athletic in school - don't sweat it! This doesn't mean you're lacking brain cells but rather that being athletic actually makes you smarter. Even if you never make it to elite sweat levels, simply playing a sport, walking or exercising causes a chain of positive changes in your brain that last long after your workout ends.