Check this article out…apparently endorphins have the same chemicals as marijuana. No wonder why we’re all hooked on riding our bikes! The good thing about it is we don’t get the munchies right after a ride…
Move over, endorphins. Post-exercise euphoria may actually be the result of naturally occurring cannabinoids–the same family of chemicals that gives marijuana smokers their high, a study suggests.
When researchers asked 24 men to run, ride a bike, or sit for about 50 minutes and then took blood samples, they found high blood levels of the cannabinoid anandamide in the exercisers but not in the sedentary guys.
Lead researcher Arne Dietrich, PhD, of American University of Beirut, believes the body releases cannabinoids to cope with the stress of exercise–an important finding for new exercisers, who often quit after a few minutes because they feel uncomfortable. “Give your body time to release these chemicals, and you may feel better during and after exercise,” he says. Dietrich suspects you need 20 minutes of aerobic effort during which you’re breathing hard (the level of fast walking or jogging) to trigger this exerciser’s high.
Courtesy of Prevention.com
Don’t worry, I’m not supportng drug use. What’s the point when I can just ride my bike and get the same effects.