Endorphins & Weight Training

Endorphins are produced during exercise or moments of excitement or pain. During and after vigorous exercise, you get both the pain relief and the euphoric feeling of achievement. It only takes 10 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise to trigger a release of endorphins, lift your mood and leave you feeling invigorated and energized. Many people believe that weight training is a good way to trigger the release of endorphins too, but scientific research suggests that this is not the case.

  1. Neurology

    • Discovered in the 1970s during research on drug addiction, endorphins are feel-good chemicals released by the pituitary gland, which is located in the brain. Once released, endorphins become attached to receptors on the surface of brain cells. If enough endorphins become attached, pain messages from the brain cell are blocked.

    Evidence

    • Although many people believe that weight training releases endorphins, a study by the Department of Health and Sports Science at the University of Richmond concluded that lifting heavy weights did not trigger the release of the feel-good chemical. The "Journal of Sports Sciences" confirmed the findings, printing the results of the study, which involved measuring the levels of plasma beta-endorphins in six athletes before and after three sets of isotonic strength training.

    Alternatives

    • After particularly strenuous exercise, many people experience “runner’s high,” which is the term used to describe the feeling of the sudden flood of endorphins into the body. Any vigorous aerobic exercise will trigger the release of endorphins; circuit training, running, swimming and cycling are excellent ways to experience the natural high of an endorphin rush.

    Dangers

    • Exercising can become addictive due to the regular release of endorphins; an endorphin rush gives you a similar feeling to taking drugs like morphine and opium. If someone is having a tough time, they may seek the endorphin rush of an intense workout to distract them from their problems, and this can be an unhealthy coping strategy. Stressful situations can be made worse if you can’t get your daily fix of endorphins because you're unable to exercise.