Exercise: Study shows physical activity can boost body's 'cannabis' & treat major ailments

Keeping oneself fit has always proved to be beneficial in some way or the other. Exercising regularly is a boon in countless ways and has proven to tackle health conditions physically as well as mentally. While it is a known fact that exercise and physical activity has helped get rid of a number of health problems, here are some facts or rather some study points for one to keep track of. A recent study has claimed that exercising increases the body's own cannabis-like substances which as per the study helps reduce inflammation and could eliminate the possibility of ailments like arthritis, cancer and heart diseases.

As per a study published in Gut Microbes, experts from the University of Nottingham discovered that people who have arthritis and made exercise a part of their routine not only reduced the pain but also decreased the levels of inflammatory substances, which is also called cytokines. This further leads to increased levels of cannabis-like substances that are produced by the body itself, these substances have been termed as Endocannabinoids. Interestingly, the way exercise led to these changes was by altering the gut microbes.

Although Exercise is known to decrease chronic inflammation which in turn prevents diseases like arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, very little has been revealed to prove this. 

According to a study conducted recently, it was revealed that people who exercised during the COVID-19 lockdown dealt with much lower levels of stress and anxiety as compared to those who couldn't dedicate time to exercising. Owing to time constraints, working-class people tend to give less time to physical activity and exercising. However, in a refreshing turn of events, during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns, not just reports but also Instagram and Facebook posts showed that people were in a better position to allocate a part of their schedules to exercise and physical activity. 

Researchers say Exercise clearly shows positive impact on many health conditions

Led by Professor Ana Valdes from the School of Medicine at the UK-based University, a group of scientists conducted an experiment wherein 78 people with arthritis were tested. Thirty-eight of the experimentees carried out 15 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises every day for six weeks, and 40 were not involved in any activity. By the end of the experiment, participants who had been exercising reported considerably low levels of pain and additionally had more microbes in their guts. The microbes were of the kind that produce anti-inflammatory substances, lower levels of cytokines and higher levels of endocannabinoids. 

The high level of endocannabinoid shows strong links to changes in the gut microbes and anti-inflammatory substances produced by gut microbes, which is called Short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFAS). At least one-third of the anti-inflammatory effects of the gut microbiome was due to the high levels of endocannabinoids. 

A research expert at the School of Medicine and first author of the paper Dr. Amrita Vijay stated, "Our study clearly shows that exercise increases the body's own cannabis-type substances. Which can have a positive impact on many conditions,'' she said. "As interest in cannabidiol oil and other supplements increases, it is important to know that simple lifestyle interventions like exercise can modulate endocannabinoids,'' she added.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI