Exercise can produce a sense of euphoria in some individuals that are described as ‘runner’s high’. A new piece of cannabinoid research offers that term a new meaning altogether. The new study discovered that physical activity boosted the cannabis-like compounds in the body that are known as endocannabinoids. Endogenous cannabinoids can bring down inflammation as well as treat other health conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
With blood samples and stool samples from up to 78 participants in the study, researchers learned that exercise could pump the cannabis-like compounds by changing gut bacteria. The piece of research on cannabinoids is publicized in the Gut Microbes journal.
Researchers claim that endocannabinoids are substances similar to cannabis since these behave akin to the phytocannabinoids that cannabis produces. The word endo in endocannabinoids means within, which refers to the internal part of the body. That means the human body itself produces these cannabinoid types.
Study author Amrita Vijay stated that the study demonstrates that exercise drives up the body’s cannabis-like compounds. Vijay, a University of Nottingham research fellow, added that that can positively affect several conditions. When interest in substances like cannabidiol oil and others goes up, it is worth knowing that lifestyle interventions such as exercise can also modulate endogenous cannabinoids.
Up to 38 participants in the study did muscle-strengthening activities 15 minutes per day for 6 weeks, whereas the rest of them did not do anything. Everyone who took part in the study had knee osteoarthritis as well as was aged above 45 years and compared to healthy grown-ups without arthritis.
Stool and blood samples revealed that the persons who exercised had relief from pain as well as more specific gut bacteria that create anti-inflammatory compounds. The participants also had quite lower cytokine levels. For the uninitiated, cytokines are molecules that can regulate inflammation in the human body.
Researchers said that active participants also had higher endocannabinoid levels, which contributed to one-third of their inflammation-reducing effects on the gut. These changes were not discovered in the body of the healthy and inactive population.
Over 100 forms of cannabinoids originate from cannabis, but cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol are the most active compounds. According to some cannabinoid studies, cannabidiol can help people to cope with pain, mental depression, and anxiety. It is worth noting that similar discoveries also exist about marijuana or THC.