novapsyche: Sailor Moon rising into bright beams (Default)
novapsyche ([personal profile] novapsyche) wrote2004-01-12 09:18 am

by way of [livejournal.com profile] renwick

High Caused by Exercise May Be Related to Cannabis

The same family of chemicals that produces a buzz in marijuana smokers may be responsible for "runner's high", the euphoric feeling that some people get when they exercise, US researchers say.

High levels of anandamide were found in young men who ran or cycled at a moderate rate for about an hour, the study by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, Irvine, found.

Anandamide is a cannabinoid, or lipid molecule, that is naturally produced in the body. It is known to produce sensations that are similar to those of THC, the psychoactive property in marijuana.

The study's findings, published in the journal NeuroReport, challenges the belief that the release of brain chemicals called endorphins causes the peculiar high that some runners and cyclists claim to feel.

Arne Dietrich, the study's principal investigator, believes the body releases cannabinoids to help it cope with the prolonged stress and pain of moderate or intense exercise.

[identity profile] jenakle.livejournal.com 2004-01-12 07:49 am (UTC)(link)
dmn
ok, theres an excuse to get jogging