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US: High caused by exercise may be related to cannabis
Reuters Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Monday 12 Jan 2004 Atlanta: 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. "No other study has ever considered this possibility, which is why the results are so significant," said Dr Dietrich, who added that there were no indications that cannabinoids caused any harm when naturally released during intense exercise. He added that the findings could provide sufferers of glaucoma and chronic diseases an alternative to using marijuana for pain control. The 24 young men who participated in Dr Dietrich's study were asked to run, cycle or sit. If they ran or cycled, participants began with a brief warm-up, followed by 45 minutes of moderate exercise and then a short cool-down period. Dr Dietrich said further studies were necessary to determine the precise nature of the increase in cannabinoids during physical activity and to what degree the intensity, duration and type of exercise affected their release. Reuters
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