Endorphins are naturalchemicals in the body that fightpain. Endorphins are released when a person gets hurt, but also duringexercise,laughter orsex. In addition to blocking pain, endorphins can make people happy.
Endorphins resemble drugs likemorphine, so when scientists first discovered these chemicals in the 1970s, they called them "endogenous morphine". Since then, scientists have identified and named five different types of endorphins, all of which occur naturally in the body. Endorphins can also be found in most animals.
They are produced by thecentral nervous system and thepituitary gland. Their name has two parts:endo- and-orphin; these are short forms of the wordsendogenous andmorphine. They mean "amorphine-like substance from within the body".[1] Endorphins are three compounds which bind to receptors. The main function of endorphins is to inhibit the communication ofpain signals. They may also produce a feeling ofeuphoria very similar to that produced by otheropioids.[2]
Four types of endorphins are created in thehuman body. They are namedalpha (α),beta (β),gamma (γ) andsigma (σ) endorphins. The four types have different numbers and types ofamino acids in their molecules; they have between 16 and 31 amino acids in each molecule.
Beta-endorphins (β-endorphins) are the most powerful endorphins in the body. They are usually in thehypothalamus andpituitary gland. More endorphins are released in the pituitary gland during times of pain or stress. Exercise increases the endorphin release too. For the same reason, exercise results in a better mood.
Met-enkephalin and leu-enkephalin are in thebrain stem andspinal cord; they are the pain killers of the spinal cord.[3] Both of them have 16- 31amino acids in their structure; the first four are similar, but the last one is different.
All of the endorphins bind to theopioidreceptors in the brain. Many of theanalgesic (pain killer) drugs have a similar action in the brain. The main difference between the natural endorphins and the analgesic drugs is that natural endorphins are cleared from the blood very quickly. Endorphins are also involved in the release of sex hormones in the pituitary gland.[4] Also, scientists think thatacupuncture results in the release of more endorphins.[5] Endorphins may have a role inobesity,diabetes andpsychiatric diseases too.[6]
The term 'endorphin rush' is sometimes used in normal speech to refer to a feeling of wellness caused by exercise, danger or stress.[7] However, it is not a medical term, and it is not proven that higher endorphin production after exercise really has a role in the wellness feeling.
Another term which is commonly used is 'runner's high'. It refers to the feeling being "high" (full of energy and wellness) after exercise. It is commonly said that the "high" is a result of the release of bigger amounts of endorphins in the body during the exercise. However, some scientists think this feeling is caused by thechallenge, and is not related to endorphin release.[8]
For example, in some studies a drug was given to people which blocked the effect of endorphins. These people still felt the runner's high; it means this feeling is not caused by the release of endorphins in the blood. Another study was performed in 2004, which showed this feeling is related to a different body chemical named "anandamide".[9]Anandamide is not an endorphine but is an endocannabinoid, similar to one of the chemicals inmarijuana andchocolate.
↑Goldstein A, Lowery PJ (September 1975). "Effect of the opiate antagonist naloxone on body temperature in rats".Life Sciences.17 (6):927–31.doi:10.1016/0024-3205(75)90445-2.PMID1195988.
↑Guyton, AC; Hall, JE (2001).Textbook of Medical Physiology (10th ed.). WB Saunders. p. 556.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑Dalayeun JF, Norès JM, Bergal S (1993). "Physiology of beta-endorphins. A close-up view and a review of the literature".Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.47 (8):311–20.doi:10.1016/0753-3322(93)90080-5.PMID7520295.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑"Runner's high". University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Archived fromthe original on 2008-10-30. Retrieved2007-10-18.
