Marijuana
Buzz Linked to Runner's High
By Paul Simao - from
Reuters
News Service ATLANTA (Reuters) - 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,
U.S. researchers say.
High levels of anandamide were found in
young men who ran or cycled at a moderate rate for about an hour, according to
a study made public this week by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the
University of California, Irvine.
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, which were recently
published in the journal NeuroReport, fly in the face of those who believe that
the release of brain chemicals called endorphins cause the peculiar high that
some runners and cyclists claim to feel.
Arne Dietrich, the study's principal
investigator and a former visiting professor at Georgia Tech in Atlanta,
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 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. Use of the drug for medical purposes has been approved by
voters in some states, but remains illegal under federal law and highly
controversial in the medical community.
The 24 young men who participated in
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.
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.
The "runner's high" theory emerged in the
United States during the running craze of the 1970s, when researchers
discovered the brain's opiate receptors, which are proteins located on the
surface of nerve cells.
Some scientists, however, say the concept
is a myth.
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