When it comes to health and fitness, most professionals will recommend that diet and exercise be your foundation to achieving better health or reaching your goal weight. Exercise is good for your body, and according to recent studies, your brain as well. It might also help to fight addiction.

Recent studies show that engaging in exercise releases the same endorphins in our brains as do the chemicals in certain drugs and alcohol. You may have heard of the term “runner’s high.” Science has proven its existence. This might just give an edge when treating addiction.

The University of Missouri recently completed a study by experimenting with rats. They found that exercise rewarded the rats with the same kind of ‘pleasure’ as did giving drugs to another group of rats. They selectively bred two groups – one group that was very highly active and one group that was lazy. The active rats ran on their wheels for a good amount of time. However, when they chemically activated those feel-good receptors, they became lazy.

Though more research needs to be completed, these preliminary studies are hopeful in changing how addiction can be treated – by incorporating exercise into daily routines. This could be used to develop a treatment regimen to help counter addiction to things as simple as alcohol or cigarettes.

If you’re looking to get in shape, lose weight, or even just change up your routine, contact Frank Tortorici. He can assist you in meeting and exceeding your fitness goals.