BETA-ENDORPHIN RESPONSE TO ENDURANCE EXERCISE - RELATIONSHIP TO EXERCISE DEPENDENCE

Considerable research has shown significant increases in beta-endorphi n levels after aerobic activity. These increases and their accompanyin g euphoric effect have been suggested as a possible psychophysiologica l mechanism underlying the exercise-dependence syndrome. The relations hip between plasma beta-endorphin levels and a tendency towards exerci se dependence, however, has not been established. To examine this rela tionship, 8 women trained in aerobic dance completed an exercise-depen dence assessment prior to participation in a 45-min. session of contin uous aerobic dance. Plasma beta-endorphin concentration was measured b oth prior to and following the aerobics routine. A Student t test for paired observations indicated that mean plasma beta-endorphin levels ( +/- SE) were significantly higher after the aerobics routine (11.96 +/ - 1.3 pg beta-EP.ml-1) than preexercise levels (8.62 +/- 1.4). However , beta-endorphin difference values (% change) were not significantly c orrelated with scores on the exercise-dependence survey. Those data su ggest that scores on exercise dependence are not related to changes in plasma beta-endorphin levels after aerobic exercise.