C
he who runs medium to long distances, or who at any rate does at least 30 minutes of physical activity at a time, has surely experienced at least once that feeling of fulfillment that comes to be almost euphoria and that researchers call
Runners High
(runner’s high). Until a few years ago, it was thought to be simply due to psychological factors, to the runner’s self-belief that he or she was doing something good for himself or herself, which turned into a physical well-being situation. Actually, as is now well established, this sensation is due to the release into the bloodstream, by our nervous system, of a series of chemical mediators – or messengers – known as
endorphins
, released by a gland called
pituitary gland
. You may have heard of them before, and while you may not know in detail what they are, you do know that they are those substances that your body produces when you are happy, or precisely when you are engaged in an endurance sport such as running. They are not, however, the only substances we produce in these situations. Speaking of endurance sports and thus long-distance running, there are at least two other chemical messengers that are very important, and they have effects on our whole body: the
growth hormone
(Growth Hormone – GH) and the
prolactin
.
THE ENDORPHINES.
The first ones we have mentioned, the most famous ones, are those that allow us to experience a feeling of fulfillment and euphoria already while practicing our activity, especially if their production is associated with the presence in circulation of adrenaline, another important chemical mediator that our body produces in a multitude of situations, including, for example, tension due to participation in a competition, but also during acute stress or strong emotions. We also produce them when we eat something we particularly like, such as chocolate or sweets, and it is the main reason why, certain foods, we would never want to remove them from our diet. In fact, endorphins work somewhat like some other less noble chemical mediators, morphine and opioids, creating addiction. Paradoxically, the risk one runs because of the production of these substances that are good for us is that of getting hurt from overtraining, done precisely to seek their release and the resulting fulfillment.
GROWTH HORMONE
As can be easily guessed, in this case it is a hormone (also produced by the pituitary gland) whose main function is to stimulate cell growth and development, so its action is not immediately detectable by the body, but is more of a long-term task that begins even before birth and peaks in the early years of life and into adolescence. In adults, its role in physical growth stops, but it continues to have primary and stimulating functions for virtually all body activities, from regeneration of damaged tissues to calcium deposition and thus bone strengthening. Physical activity, by inducing the consumption and thus the decrease in circulating sugars and causing damage-albeit small-to muscle cells, stimulates the action of the pituitary gland, which responds by releasing larger than usual amounts of growth hormone into the circulation. Experimental studies, in which trained and untrained patients were treated with a growth hormone release inhibitor, showed that in those who were exercising, the action of the inhibitor was not or only partially felt and the pituitary gland continued to release GH in sufficient quantities to stimulate cellular repair and related activities. Working out for at least three to four times a week, for at least fifteen minutes and incorporating high-intensity intervals, keeps the production of this hormone active at higher levels than in sedentary individuals, thus allowing our bodies to have better cell turnover and our bones to be stronger and more resilient.
THE PROLACT.
This hormone is also produced by the pituitary gland, and if its name makes you think it is related to milk production, well, you’ve hit the nail on the head. It is in fact the quintessential mammalian hormone, and although its main action is to stimulate the mammary gland to produce milk, males also produce it (under particular conditions and in different amounts than females), and in Man it comes into play during endurance sports activities. In carrying out its physiological functions, it is a fundamental hormone, indispensable for carrying on lactation, exerting this action both stimulating the mammary gland either By blocking some other hormones, including GH, in what is called the Prolactin blockage of the menstrual cycle, for which-usually but not always-a lactating woman does not have a regular menstrual cycle, due precisely to the need to produce milk for the infant and focus most of her resources on this. Sports-wise, its production is usually higher in overtrained athletes, and in these cases it is linked to less than pleasant situations. Among other things, for example, it is co-responsible for what is called.
triad of the female athlete
, that is, the combination of fatigue, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), and osteoporosis that affects female athletes who undergo very intense exertion almost every day of the week. Even in men, its constant presence in the bloodstream can cause fatigue, circulatory problems, and, if it persists over time, can even go so far as toantagonize testosterone. These are special situations that most athletes, fortunately, do not experience, but which you should still keep in mind in case you intend to undertake a very intense training program. In such cases, therefore, the advice is always the same: talk to your sports doctor before changing your training patterns markedly. Either way, if your training plan is well structured, the production of this hormone and its release will be concentrated at a specific time: that of reaching the finish line for the race you are preparing for. In this case, which is the most common case, prolactin stays in your system for half an hour at the most, and you notice-you do-because it joins the effect of endorphins and amplifies your emotions. Pay attention to it the next time you run a medium or long distance to the best of your ability, even better if a race in which other people are participating.
Upon arrival, in addition to being at peace with the world, you will have a
Significantly greater propensity to cry
, and you will feel like you can’t control your feelings.
No need to worry, however: it is not weakness, it is .
happiness
.
Bibliografia parziale: “The Effect of Exercise on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis” di St-Pierre & Richard, 2020 “The Transcriptional Signature of a Runner's High” di Hicks et al., 2019 “Exercise-induced hypoalgesia: potential mechanisms in animal models of neuropathic pain” di Kami et al., 2017 “Endocannabinoids mediate runner's high” di Prabakaran, 2015 “The effects of an acute running exercise training session on changes in serum beta-endorphin and cortisol levels among male sprint runners” di Sinaei et al., 2012