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As opiate-like chemicals, they can be stimulated by high sugar intake (and illicit drugs of course). Just like everything else in life, beta-endorphin levels are all about balance.
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How can I optimize my Beta-Endorphin levels? You can see why they are good for your health and happiness! This makes endorphins a powerful natural painkiller! The release of endorphins also produces a sense of wellbeing, eases emotional distress and increases self-esteem. So when you’re running down that hard trail, or excited about something, the brain is flooded with endorphins to reduce pain and produce feelings of euphoria and calmness. Beta-endorphins are released in response to pain, excitement and physical exertion. We have several different types of neurotransmitters, all with specific functions such as producing thoughts, feelings or muscle contractions. Neurotransmitters transfer electrical signals throughout the nervous system to initiate an action. Of course, some of you may be questioning whether running is ever enjoyable! But, if you get to that place where the pain is fading away, your energy picks up and the uncomfortable turns to pleasant, your beta-endorphins are at work!īeta-endorphins are part of a set of chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. If you have ever gone for a run, you may have noticed it takes a while to “warm up” and start enjoying the run. You may have heard of the “runner’s high” (also called an “endorphin rush”), when the body responds to the pain of long-distance running by flooding the brain with beta-endorphin…it acts like a powerful natural painkiller.