Everyone has heard of it.....The Runner's "High," and in fact, a survey posted by the New York Times found that most athletes believe that it does exist. For years, however, scientists have been unable to prove it--until now.
The head researcher for this study, Dr. Henning Boecker of the University of Bonn (Germany), formulized the idea of testing this endorphin hypothesis when he realized that methods he and others were using to study pain were directly applicable.
Using PET scans combined with chemicals which reveal endorphins in the brain, he was able to compare runners’ brains before and after a long run. The scans did, in fact, show that not only were endorphins being produced, but that they were indeed attaching themselves to areas of the brain involved with mood--direct evidence to finally support this hypothesis.
So the next time you are feeling low, get to the gym for a sustained bout of cardiovascular exercise! You body, and mind (!) will thank you.
For more on this study, check out:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/health/nutrition/
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