Can running become a serious addiction? by Zuzana Zelenakova

Exercise is one of the key factors for staying fit and healthy, but as the latest research showed excessive exercise can evolve into a regular addiction. Researchers from Tufts University proved that excessive running can result in brain releasing chemicals that cause a euphoric state similar to drug use. The scientists studied this phenomenon on a group of rats. They also claim that if exercise can become addictive, then maybe, addicts could take up some sort of physical activity instead of taking drugs. "Exercise, like drugs of abuse, leads to the release of neurotransmitters such as endorphins and dopamine, which are involved with a sense of reward," said team leader Ro! bin Kanarek, professor of psychology at Tufts University. "As with food intake and other parts of life, moderation seems to be the key. Exercise, as long as it doesn't interfere with other aspects of one's life, is a good thing with respect to both physical and mental health." The experiment was conducted on 44 male and 40 female rats. Part of them was given an exercise wheel to run, the other part remained inactive. Each group was further divided into groups whose members had either allowed access to food for one hour a day or for 24 hours per day to simulate anorexia athletica which is an obsession with weight but also never ending exercise to lose weight. Finally, all rats were given Naloxone, which is a medicine for heroin overdose that causes withdrawal symptoms. Active rats responded to Naloxone by showing withdrawal symptoms like in drug addicts (trembling, teeth chattering, and so on). Also, active rats that had access to food for only one hour a day run the most an! d had the most severe withdrawal symptoms. So, the more the ra! t run th e worse its withdrawal symptoms. On the hand, inactive rats, both those that had food for 24 hours a day and those who had it only for one hour, responded very little to Naloxone.

related story (sgx15242): http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090826/sc_livescience/...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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