Conflicting Reports on Endorphins and Exercise

Have you ever been working out really hard and then, without warning, you are hit with feelings of bliss, relaxation, and even joy? If not, you probably think I am losing my mind by suggesting that a strenuous workout could bring on these feelings. However, if you have experienced what is often called a “runner’s high”, you know exactly what I am talking about. In the past, people chalked this feeling up to endorphins, a chemical in the brain.

Endorphins are produced by the pituitary gland. This Wikipedia entry has some good information on this substance and how it has been believed to play a role in the fitness high some experience. Endorphin exercise is that which is strenuous enough to cause labored breathing and heavy exertion. It is not clear why some exercises lead to increased endorphin production and recent studies question whether endorphins play any role in the “runner’s high”.

Some research has shown that what we would commonly think of as endorphin exercise actually causes the release of a completely different chemical, called anandamide. Others have stated that the feelings that come about during a runner’s high can’t completely be attributed to endorphins but instead have several chemical factors. Common feel good chemicals in the brain like epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin may also play a role.

This piece from an academic journal suggests the runner’s high commonly associated with endorphins exercise may be caused by neurogenesis, or the increased production of brain cells during strenuous activity.

Endorphins exercise isn’t as clear as it was once thought. A simple explanation, the increased production of this chemical became a hot topic in the fitness community. Despite evidence to the contrary and yet some evidence still supporting the theory, people still speak about endorphins exercise like it is the honest truth.

Regardless of the science behind the feeling, the feeling exists. When you have hit this state of fitness bliss you will know it and what caused the feelings may not matter at all to you. A runner’s high can be achieved with any strenuous exercise, so don’t get discouraged if running isn’t your forte. Also, don’t worry about chasing the high; it seems that when you go looking for the feeling, it becomes more elusive.