Exercise increases an endocannabinoid in women, depending on diet

A research team from Quebec, Canada tested endocannabinoid levels in women after exercise based on two different diet plans. Endocannabinoids, made from omega-3 fats, are affected by diet. Connections between exercise and the endocannabinoid system have only been briefly studied in women.

Runner’s High, an eCBome Theory

Endocannabinoid tone is credited with causing runner’s high, more so than endorphins or serotonin. At least in 2003, research was done on a group of 24 men. (2) Similar studies have also been performed on mice. (3) However, required experiments to test the ECS after the exercise are riddled with technical obstacles. (4) And so, before the Quebec study, the impact that diet has on women’s endocannabinoid system after exercise was even less clear. (1)

The researchers compared a Canadian macronutrient and a Mediterranean diet high in omega-3 fats in seven participants. And while 2-AG and short chain fatty acids were minimally disrupted by diet. The results of the randomized controlled trial suggest that diet influences anandamide and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in female participants shortly after exercise. However, the study tested healthy women between the ages of 19 and 32 with slightly above-average fitness.

Infographic courtesy of Forteza et al. describes the course from start to finish. Information provided includes periods of restricted diet, aerobic testing, samples taken and analyzes performed. (1)

anandamide and 2-AG

2-AG is a workhorse endocannabinoid that regulates numerous cellular processes. Its degradation is primarily powered by a machine built from monoacylglycerols (MAGs). However, post-exercise 2-AG and MAG levels were not affected by the diets tested in women.

However, 2-AG and anandamide are both endocannabinoids and omega-3 fats. Anandamide is related to various enzymes and a unique fatty acid amide. In other words, it doesn’t share the same production line as 2-AG. Unlike MAGs, in women on the Mediterranean diet, anandamide was elevated only after exercise. (1)

A meta-analysis on exercise and endocannabinoid tone (5) published in late 2021 found similar results in healthy individuals. AEA levels were increased by 74% up to one hour after exercise. However, 2-AG levels were only affected by exercise in individuals with underlying health conditions such as PTSD.

Fatty acids beyond the ECS

Other fatty acids share their production with anandamide, including OEA and PEA. However, due to the lack of CB 1/2 receptor activity, these analogs are included in the larger eCBOME, but not in the classic ECS.

Clinically, understanding endocannabinoid and fatty acid levels after exercise is crucial in both men and women. (1) Female hormones, especially estradiol, are regulated by AEA. But the eCBome facilitates a plethora of functions throughout the body of all vertebrates.

Let us know in the comments if you exercise to boost your endocannabinoids. And check out this story to learn how diet affects the ECS.

Sources

1. Forteza F, Bourdeau-Julien I, Nguyen GQ, et al. Effect of diet on acute endocannabinoidome mediator levels after exercise in active women, a randomized crossover study. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):8568. Published May 20, 2022. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-10757-0
2. Sparling PB, Giuffrida A, Piomelli D, Rosskopf L, Dietrich A. Exercise activates the endocannabinoid system. neuro report. 2003;14(17):2209-2211. doi:10.1097/00001756-200312020-00015
3. Fuss J, Steinle J, Bindila L, et al. A runner’s high depends on cannabinoid receptors in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci US A. 2015;112(42):13105-13108. doi:10.1073/pnas.1514996112
4. Siebers M, Biedermann SV, Fuss J. Do endocannabinoids cause runner’s high? Evidence and open questions [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jan 26]. neuroscientist. 2022;10738584211069981. doi:10.1177/10738584211069981
5. S. Desai, B. Borg, C. Cuttler et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on the endocannabinoid system [published online ahead of print, 2021 Dec 3]. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2021;10.1089/can.2021.0113. doi:10.1089/can.2021.0113