What Causes The Runner's High? More Evidence of Endocannabinoids...

I've always been curious about the root causes the "runner's high", that feeling of mild euphoria and pain cessation we feel after a long run. I love it...I long for it...it is perhaps my greatest personal vice. But what exactly is happening in the body to produce this amazing feeling? It has been a topic of debate for quite some time, and one I have watched with great interest.

Business Insider recently updated a great article that dug into a 2015 study where scientists tested mice to isolate the effects of endorphins and endocannabinoids, the two chemical systems thought most largely responsible for the "runner's high". The result? At least in mice, it appears that endocannabinoids are more closely related to the effects of pain cessation, a clam feeling, and less anxiety.

Ultrarunners will appreciate some of the other insights into the study, in particular the test mice had to run 3 miles on their little wheels to get the full effect. That's a lot of mice miles! Eat your heart out, Michael Wardian.