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Endorphins are
endogenous opioids ( a chemical that resembles morphine and relieves pain)
released from the pituitary gland that are believed to… play a role in the
reward system in the brain.” (Endorphins, Exercise, and Addictions) Tests show
that when you exercise, your body has a major increase in endorphins. Results
like this show that Endorphins cause things like a “Runner’s high”. A runner’s
high is when you start to feel great in the middle of a workout. Out of nowhere
you feel like a million bucks. Scientists have tested this theory with the use
of PET scans. They had people exercise and then scanned them. “The scans showed
that endorphins were produced during exercise, endorphins attached to the part
of the brain usually associated with emotion, and that the level of endorphins
produced in the brain matched the degree of the mood change reported by the runner.” (The Runner’s High). It is not clear, however, whether any
other chemicals like serotonin and dopamine also take a part in runner’s high.
The study on runner’s high is only the beginning. Exercise dependence, or an
addiction to exercise, is also thought to be caused by endorphins. Research has
shown a clear relationship between endorphins and exercise dependence, and it
can cause people to have similar behaviors leading to alcoholism and drug
addiction. (Endorphins, Exercise and Addiction: A Review Of Exercise
Dependence). Although endorphins
are usually helpful in producing positive feelings connected with healthy
living, too much of them is a worrying thing.