Brain gains

The Brief

Welcome back, Wellworthy readers.

Strength training builds muscle, but new research suggests the benefits go further. 

A recent study found lifting regularly might also help slow brain aging by up to two years.

This week, we’re looking at what the science says and why the case for strength training keeps getting stronger.

Here’s what’s inside:

• How a year of lifting affects brain aging

• RFK Jr.'s move to reverse the FDA peptide ban

• THIS WEEK: A recovery shoe designed by NFL and NBA athletes, Nike's global after-dark race series for women, and WHOOP's new cycle-adjusted blood panel

Here we go!

— Jake, Joana & Ash

The Breakdown

A controlled trial of adults aged 62–70 found a year of resistance training lowered brain age by 1.4 to 2.3 years, whether participants followed a heavy or moderate program.

Researchers measured the effects using a "brain clock," a tool that reads brain scans to estimate how old your brain looks compared to your actual age.

Why it matters

This study adds to growing evidence suggesting that lifting may help preserve brain function as we age. And the effects weren’t isolated to one region. 

Researchers saw changes across the brain's entire functional network, with the strongest local effects in the prefrontal cortex—the region driving attention, decision-making, and working memory.

What stood out: Moderate training delivered results comparable to heavy training. 

And the benefits held up a full year after the program ended.

The takeaway

Strength training doesn’t just protect your muscles, bones, and metabolism. Moderate effort sessions, done consistently, are enough to measurably slow the brain’s aging clock.

🧃Fresh from Expo West

Last week, we attended Expo West, one of the wellness industry's biggest trade shows of the year. 

Here are a few things that stood out:

• Protein is being crammed into everything. Noodles, ice cream, chips… you name it. But fiber is next up.

• Weight-loss brands are riding the GLP-1s wave, offering everything from microdoses to natural formulas.

• Gut health isn't slowing down. If anything, the conversation is getting louder, with brands tying it to everything from immunity to mental health.

• The word "longevity" is being slapped on more labels. How brands decide if the products earned it, we're not sure yet.

Get the full scoop on Instagram.

Just Dropped

New products and drops spotted → 

Fitness & training

KANE Footwear's Revive OB is the brand's first open-backed recovery shoe for the moments between sessions when your feet still need to recover. It carries the full Revive platform, including raised nodes that stimulate blood flow underfoot, built with input from NFL and NBA athletes. Shop here.

Hermanos Koumori is a Mexico City running brand rooted in Mesoamerican design and pre-Hispanic mythology. Not your typical running brand origin story. The Spring 26 capsule mixes technical race pieces with off-duty layers in earthy tones across tops, singlets, hoodies, shorts, and shirts. Check it out.

Kith x On just dropped two original silhouettes: the K-Tech 1 for performance and the K-Tech 2 for daily wear, both featuring On's CloudTec cushioning. Three colorways each, plus a reflective apparel capsule for people who refuse to pack a separate outfit after the run. See the drop.

Oner Active drops its second capsule of the year today, Oner Your Body Together. The collection draws on classic varsity and team-sport aesthetics, featuring two new colorways (Varsity Blue and Marshmallow White) across styles built for both training and everyday wear. Shop the drop.

Supplements & nutrition

Lemme Relax is the latest from Kourtney Kardashian's supplement line, this time in a soft-chew, Blackberry Lemonade flavor. It stacks magnesium and KSM-66 Ashwagandha, ingredients clinically studied for managing cortisol, stress, and sleep. Buy it here.

Rerise built Core100, a 90-day protocol targeting energy support at the mitochondrial level. The results are designed to be cumulative over time, and unlike most supplements, it comes with complimentary blood draws through Quest Diagnostics so you can see whether it's actually working. Buy it here.

Make Time Wellness drops three new brain health supplements in April: a Menopause & Brain Health gummy, a sugar-free NAD+ & Rhodiola gummy, and a Brain, Body & Beauty stick pack. The driving pitch from founder Emma Heming Willis? One in five women develops Alzheimer's by 65, yet brain fog in women still gets dismissed. Get the details.

Wellness tech & self-care

WHOOP keeps pushing deeper into women's health. Its Women's Health Blood Panel covers 11 female-specific biomarkers, including hormones, thyroid, and nutrient status. The difference: reference ranges adjust to your cycle phase, so a result that looks “off” on a standard panel might actually be normal for where you are in the month. Learn more.

Hyperice's Hypervolt 3 line rolls out three percussion devices for different users, all with more power, less noise, and longer battery life than the previous generation. Meaningful upgrades from one of the most trusted names in recovery tech, and at price points that undercut most competitors. Check it out.

Wisp launched its Longevity and Healthy Aging category with five treatments, including glutathione and NAD+. All are clinician-guided and available as nasal sprays or injectables. The angle that caught our attention: longevity has been built around male biohacking culture, and women need their own lane. See more.

Aera is betting home fragrance belongs in the functional wellness conversation. The brand’s Clarity Collection is three AI-developed scents designed to improve focus and attention, backed by cognitive science testing. We're curious to see where this goes. Shop here.

On Our Radar 

What's moving in wellness this week → 

RFK Jr. moves to reverse the FDA's peptide ban. The HHS secretary announced on the Joe Rogan Experience that roughly 14 of the 19 peptides pulled from compounding pharmacies in 2023 could return to legal status within weeks. Popular in anti-aging, recovery, and hormonal health circles, the ban pushed many users toward unregulated black-market sources. It would be a meaningful shift in access, though even once a formal FDA rule is issued, the clinical evidence on most of these compounds still has a long way to go. 

Nike's After Dark Tour is back. The all-women nighttime race series returns in 2026 across seven cities, including Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, and Mexico City, with 10Ks and half marathons on the schedule. Last year's inaugural tour drew over 50,000 runners. The running world has talked about getting more women to the starting line for years, and Nike is making it happen.

Chelsea Piers Fitness is going bigger. The 30-year New York luxury fitness club is opening a 50,000-square-foot Hudson Square location in the second half of 2026. Beyond the usual gym floor, it'll have four boutique studios, a contrast therapy suite with a sauna, luxury locker rooms stocked with Malin + Goetz products, a member lounge with a café, and a kids' clubhouse. Possibly the most complete gym-as-third-place we've seen in the city.