Exercise activates the endocannabinoid system.
Extensive documentation exists showing that exercise induces analgesia and sedation. Despite decades of research attempting to explicate a neurochemical basis for these phenomena, the mechanism underlying these changes is unknown. Using trained male college students running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike for 50 min at 70-80% of maximum heart rate, we report here the first evidence that exercise of moderate intensity activates the endocannabinoid system, suggesting a new mechanism for exercise-induced analgesia and possibly other physiological and psychological adaptations to exercise.
Sparling
P B
PB
School of Applied Physiology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Giuffrida
A
A
Piomelli
D
D
Rosskopf
L
L
Dietrich
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000097:blood*; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; C078814:anandamide