Cannabis and Sports or "Runner's High"
- Endorphin release is an outdated concept, endocannabinoids have a more important function
- Anandamide, the endogenous twin of THC, plays a central role in the "runner's high" mechanism
If you are or have been an enthusiast for running, strength training, or sports in general, you certainly know that blissful feeling that comes after a quality, well-executed workout. The popularized term for this phenomenon is the so-called "runner's high", a state of "runner's nirvana". But what exactly is it?
In scientific literature, the "runner's high" sensation is characterized as "a feeling of pure happiness, awareness, connection with nature and oneself, inner harmony, unlimited energy, and reduced perception of pain".
One scientific hypothesis explains this phenomenon as a neurobiological reward mechanism that follows moderate and especially intense aerobic exertion. We can logically imagine that this human body mechanism evolved as an evolutionary tool that compels us to get off the couch (or climb out of the cave) and start doing something that helps us both physically and mentally.
Interestingly, human long-distance endurance is quite unique in the entire animal kingdom. For example, in the lecture "Why Humans Run: The Biology and Evolution of Marathon Running", Harvard University anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman describes the following: "As ancient beings without claws, without fur, and generally without weapons, we had to rely on our endurance ability as our main ace in the hole against stronger, faster, and overall much more dangerous creatures that we had to both escape from and hunt."
Not only does the "runner's high" sensation provide us with exercise motivation, but it mainly helps us develop the ability to maintain intense aerobic load through longer time periods. The fact that our body developed this reward mechanism makes sense because intense aerobic activity carries a higher injury risk and consumes much more energy than moderate activity.
Endorphins aside, cannabinoids step in
Do you remember all the fuss about running and endorphin release? Scientists, with considerable help from the media, extensively popularized this concept of physical effort and subsequent endorphin release, which was supposed to cause a state of intoxication similar to narcotic substances, especially opiates. The truth is that endorphins are internally created opiates in the human body.
(The term "endorphin" comes from combining the words "endo" - meaning "internal", thus "inside the body" - and "morphine", which naturally refers to opiates.)
Scientists have already invested enormous effort in researching this phenomenon. In one study conducted on mice, it was even proven that some mouse subjects became so addicted to running that they preferred physical exertion above everything else. Some surprisingly ran themselves to complete exhaustion and died. This result led scientists to hypotheses about the addictiveness of running and comparing its level to morphine addiction. However, these hypotheses could not be sufficiently substantiated, which led scientists to explore another possible connection: cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system.
Researchers from the University of Arizona's School of Anthropology subsequently took up the research. In this study, ferrets, humans, and dogs were used as subjects. The scientists' starting hypothesis was the assumption of intense aerobic load as a trigger for neurotransmitters associated with the endocannabinoid system. Specifically, scientists focused on the "magical molecule" anandamide, often described as the "molecule of happiness".
The name anandamide comes from Sanskrit (the original sacred language of Buddhism and Hinduism), where "ananda" means "joy, bliss, or happiness" - it is a mimetic twin of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Anandamide, like THC, functions as a trigger for CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are responsible for feelings of physical and mental rewards, namely feelings of happiness and euphoria.
Scientists built upon a previous study conducted on mice, where a special substance rimonabant was administered, causing inhibition of cannabinoid receptors - mice given this drug lost interest in running. This study was the main impetus for investigating the connection between aerobic load and the endocannabinoid system. The scientists thus "recruited" dogs, ferrets, and individuals with average fitness.
To test their hypothesis, scientists compared blood levels of dogs and humans (cursorial mammals) with levels of ferrets (non-cursorial mammals) after 30 minutes of aerobic load. As expected, the result was an increase in anandamide levels in humans and dogs. In ferrets, as mammals not equipped for long-distance running, anandamide levels did not change. Naturally, the largest increase in anandamide levels was observed in humans.
What can we derive from this study? If you want to increase your own blood anandamide levels and thus support your sense of well-being, you must start moving. Furthermore, intense movement is much more effective than mild movement.
There are also speculations about the effectiveness of so-called HIIE workouts (high-intensity intermittent exercise), also known as "tabata training". This type of workout has gained popularity in recent years because HIIE training takes little time but can very effectively "kick-start" metabolism and thus fat burning more than longer exercise. Whether this type of exercise supports an increase in anandamide levels as much as long-term aerobic load remains a question.
"Runner's High" in Action
Let us introduce you to Matt Hook, a marathon runner, blog author of "Running on Reefer", and a member of "420 Games". It's hard to believe that just 15 years ago, this man was morbidly obese, addicted to opiates, and battling depression. A nearly fatal car accident was his awakening. "When you find yourself on the edge of life and death, it has a profound effect on you," says Hook.
After this accident, Matt embarked on a challenging rehabilitation journey. His goal was not only to recover from the near-fatal accident but also to completely transform his physical appearance and health status. Almost like a blessing from Mother Nature, Matt discovered cannabis and realized that long-distance running combined with medical marijuana could be the key to healing and physical transformation.
Matt began working on his transformation in a way he calls the "anandamide axiom". He decided not to rely on prescribed pain medication and instead started long-distance running combined with medical cannabis. "Over time, I reached a phase where I was running even more than Forrest Gump." At that time, Matt didn't yet know that there is a strong connection between long-distance running and endocannabinoid system activation. However, "runner's high" sufficiently motivated him not to stop.
Not only was Matt able to lose more than 60 kilos of body weight, but he also overcame his strong opiate addiction. "After my first accident, which I experienced at 19, I developed a strong opiate addiction that I fought for 8 years," he recalls. "Eventually, I hit rock bottom and nearly ended up in prison. That was a big awakening for me. I started living an active lifestyle and gradually freed myself from all medications I had been taking through cannabis".
Reward Mechanism... Really?
From an evolutionary perspective, it is very tempting to explain the function of "runner's high" as a reward for honest training. Professor Guillermo Moreno from the University of Irvine in California and researcher from the Piomelli Lab at the University of California, Irvine's School of Medicine, to whom today's scientific community owes most of the advances in understanding anandamide neurotransmitters, describes the following: "Anandamide induces so-called vasodilation (reduces blood pressure), which is most likely a homeostatic response of the organism to previous, intense cardiovascular load".
However, whatever the evolutionary function of "runner's high" may be, for athletes like Matt Hook and many others, this mechanism is an excellent way to naturally improve mood and stay motivated for further training and life in general.
And what about you, our readers? Have you ever experienced the "runner's high"? Share your opinions and experiences in the comments section!