Is Our Motivation for Exercise Linked to Cannabinoids?

2019 research suggests that endocannabinoids and CB1-type cannabinoid receptors are the key drivers in our motivation to choose to undertake intense aerobic exercise, such as running.
The study (Muguruza et al., 2019) on mice published 7th March 2019 in the journal JCI Insight. The paper, “The Motivation for Exercise Over Palatable Food Is Dictated by Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptors,” also found that the endocannabinoid system in certain mice was so robust that this group of rodents actually preferred running on their exercise wheel to eating chocolate.

Running or Chocolate?

The research found that some mice simply love to run, and much like humans, the majority of mice also like to eat chocolate. To measure the role that CB1 receptors play in creating a motivation to run rather than eat tasty food, the researchers blocked the cannabidiol receptors in one test group of mice.

The researchers created an experiment for testing the amount of effort each mouse was willing to put in to gaining access to the running wheel as opposed to eating some chocolate. To unlock the treadmill-like wheel and run freely, mice had to push against a mechanism that gradually required more and more effort.

Mice with robust CB1 receptors were willing to put a lot of effort into getting a runner’s high, whilist the mice with the blocked receptors exerted 80% less effort to unlock the running wheel – without the receptive endocannabinoid system the mice showed very little interest in running but did still put effort into getting a piece of chocolate.

The research team noted:

“This finding indicates that the CB1 receptors play a major role in controlling motivation for exercise.”

Even though this research was conducted on mice, there is growing evidence that CB1 receptors also play a central role in humans’ motivation to seek aerobic exercise.

The latest findings on the endocannabinoid system also help to explain why some people find “runner’s high” so elusive and are less motivated to exercise on a regular basis. A press release from the authors of the research paper noted that:

“In addition to these findings indicating that the cannabinoid receptor is essential for the motivation for exercise, this study opens up avenues for researching the neurobiological mechanisms behind pathological increases in this motivation.

One illustration is provided by anorexia nervosa which often combines the decreased motivation to eat with an increased motivation to exercise.” 

Despite this research being conducted on mice, the latest findings on the role of cannabinoids in the motivation to exercise do have human implications. For example, pinpointing the role of CB1 receptors in seeking exercise might explain why some of us are “born to run” while others (who may not have enough cannabinoid receptors or may have less sensitive receptors to experience a so-called “runner’s high”) find running to be a very uncomfortable and unrewarding experience. 

Therefore, if you experience a ‘runner’s high’ or similar sensation during physical exertion, your endocannabinoid system could well be primed and more receptive to the positive effects of CBD products.