The Elusive ‘Runner’s High’ Has Prehistoric Roots

A jog won’t do it; the powerful painkillers released during long-distance running let our ancestors chase prey for hours on end

It’s definitely time to get a move on. With opioid prescription drug overdoses overtaking auto deaths in the U.S., move it or lose it seems like a good antidote.

Our ancestors didn’t have much time to get fat and obese with running down prey all day. We have to hunt down a button on the microwave. No wonder we’re so depressed. No brain joy juice happening here.

Runner’s high comes from the so-called endocannabinoids, or eCBs (named for their molecular resemblance to the active ingredient of cannabis).These powerful painkillers, are released during long-distance running.,They also stimulate the secretion of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Matt Wilkinson wrote a great piece about extreme moving and extreme highs.
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