Endorphins are hormones of happiness and joy

What could be more pleasant than looking at a smiling child or happy parents? Looking at their sincere feelings expressing love, joy, hope, you yourself involuntarily begin to smile, feeling a pleasant warmth inside. But do we think about what exactly makes us experience such feelings? What role does the hormone endorphin and some of its other relatives, serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, which our brain produces, play in the appearance of such feelings dear to our hearts?

History of the discovery of the hormone endorphin

It is difficult to say from what moment we can count the history of acquaintance with endorphins. It is believed that they were discovered in the early seventies of the last century, when scientists were actively interested in the Chinese system of pain relief, allowing operations to be carried out without the introduction of anesthesia. At that time, reflexology and acupuncture methods were not yet sufficiently studied to understand how they work and whether they can be used to relieve pain in certain areas of the body.

Much earlier, at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, the German pharmacist Friedrich Setürner, who was only a student at the time, isolated from opium (the raw material was unripe poppy) an amazing substance with a very strong sedative and soporific effect. This substance in the form of a white powder with alkylating properties was called morphine by analogy with the name of the Greek god of dreams.

Morphine can induce deep sleep and reduce the body's sensitivity to various influences. But what does the hormone endorphin, which is often called the hormone of joy, have to do with it?

A century later, as a result of the work of scientists, the fact was revealed that the transmission of nerve impulses in the body is carried out thanks to specific substances - neurotransmitters, in particular adrenaline and acetylcholine. That is, already at the beginning of the last century, people were ready for the fact that both pain and other sensations and feelings in our body are not accidental, and there are substances produced by the body itself that make us experience them.

At the same time, as scientists became interested in Eastern practices, the issue of opium addiction became especially relevant. During the study of its causes, receptors sensitive to opiates, in particular to morphine, were discovered, which are located in nerve fibers and other tissues of the body. Their interaction with opiates leads to the appearance of a feeling of euphoria.

But let's return to Chinese practices. During their study, it was discovered that the introduction of the drug "Naloxone" into the body, used as an antidote to opiates, the pain-relieving effect achieved during acupuncture disappeared within a few seconds. This indicated that acupuncture achieves the effect of releasing certain substances similar in action to morphine - one of the strongest opiates capable of relieving high-intensity pain. That is, our body itself is capable of producing substances that calm the nervous system, relieve pain and cause euphoria.

Since the comparison was made with morphine, these supposed neurotransmitters with a specific effect were named by analogy with the opiate - endorphins or endogenous (internal) morphines. And in 1975, these substances were discovered by Scottish scientists. These substances turned out to be 2 small molecules, which are peptides (protein compounds consisting of 2 or more amino acids) of the brain. One type of molecule was called enkephalins, the other endorphins.

Both types of the compound were found to be synthesized in the pituitary gland of the brain under the influence of certain factors, and are neurotransmitters with a morphine-like effect. Such a discovery could not remain in the shadows, and soon many scientists from different countries were studying the properties of endorphins.

The pain-relieving properties of endorphins were of interest to governments in terms of creating an army of pain-tolerant warriors. Sports associations were also interested in the discovery, as it opened up great opportunities for athletes, whose endurance could be increased several times. The idea of synthesizing endorphins artificially could not fail to interest pharmaceutical companies, as in theory it would be an ideal analgesic that would not cause addiction or side effects.

It turns out that the discovery of endorphins opened up great opportunities in various directions, so they began to study them even more zealously, unexpectedly discovering more and more useful properties of amazing peptides. Even a small amount of endorphins contributed to improving mood and was able to give a feeling of euphoria, characteristic of morphine. And the effect of endorphin on the body as an analgesic in its strength significantly exceeded the effect of the introduction of morphine.

Moreover, a correlation was found between the amount of endorphins released and the rate of healing of human tissue damage. Their sedative effect helps fight stress, relieve nervous tension and fatigue, and normalize blood pressure. Endorphins also help to increase immunity and help to recover more quickly from serious illnesses.

The impact of endorphins and other pleasure hormones on a person's mood and condition

The production of endorphins in the human body occurs in the cells of the brain - neurons. Their precursor is considered to be betalipotrophin - a substance synthesized by the pituitary gland. In principle, other types of peptides are produced in the human brain, which are responsible for our feelings and mood. In addition to the fact that the brain produces endorphin, it also produces hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and others.

The hormone endorphin, due to its ability to cause a feeling of euphoria, is usually considered to be a hormone of pleasure, joy and happiness, along with serotonin and dopamine. But if you dig deeper, you can find that our sensations, feelings and emotions are more than just the release of one hormone. This is the result of the simultaneous influence of several specific protein compounds that our brain produces in response to certain external and internal factors.

Various hormones of satisfaction, love, joy and happiness affect our body in different ways. Thus, dopamine is not just a hormone of satisfaction, it is a stimulator of active actions and a source of wild joy from what has been achieved. It is what pushes a person to discoveries and accomplishments, to search for new sources of joy and satisfaction. Any positive experience: a favorite hobby, success at work and in any other activity stimulate the production of this hormone, and it in turn pushes to search for new sources of positive emotions and achievements.

But joy can also manifest itself in other ways: in the form of self-confidence, a surge of energy and strength, inner peace and satisfaction with what is happening. A person feels happy and satisfied. This is the so-called quiet joy, which is provided by the hormone serotonin.

The production of the hormone oxytocin is associated mainly with labor (promotes contraction of the uterus) and the onset of lactation (prolactin promotes milk production, and oxytocin promotes its release into the mammary glands). In fact, its effect is much broader. Oxytocin can be called the hormone of love, tenderness, affection. It is with it that the feeling of fidelity and devotion is associated. But such feelings under the influence of this hormone arise only for those people whom a person considers family, close, best friends, i.e. for “his own”.

Under the influence of oxytocin, closeness is formed between mother and child, between loving people and good friends. In the female body, the production of oxytocin is usually at a high level compared to men, in whom the release of this hormone into the blood is stimulated not so much by touching as by sexual intimacy. It is after the act of love that men begin to experience special tender feelings and affection for a woman. Men with increased production of oxytocin are considered the most faithful husbands.

As for women, their oxytocin levels also increase after stress. This can justify the fact that a mother puts the life and health of her child above all else, and if her own flesh and blood is in danger, the mother, without thinking, rushes to protect. This also explains the increased care for her relatives after a quarrel or scandal has died down, i.e. after a stressful situation.

What is the hormone endorphin responsible for?

Endorphin is a hormone of euphoria, i.e. the highest degree of joy and satisfaction. Oddly enough, it can be produced in completely opposite situations: both under the influence of a calm, full sleep and rest, and under the influence of stress factors. It is thanks to this hormone that a person in a state of stress may not feel even very strong pain. It pushes brave people to risk their own lives to save others, and at the moment of the release of endorphins, they do not feel pain from burns and wounds. This property of endorphins is used in acupuncture methods.

On the one hand, endorphin relieves pain that occurs in response to stress, and on the other hand, it gives peace and tranquility, which allows the body to recover from difficult trials, be it a tragic event, nervous tension at work, failure in love, or illness.

It must be said that any feelings and emotions in a person are formed under the influence of various hormones, which, before entering the blood, are simple neurotransmitters, i.e. transmit bioelectric impulses from the nervous system to the brain. A certain amount of endorphin is enough to get the effect of pain relief and achieve euphoria, but without the influence of other hormones, it will never become satisfaction, happiness, love.

When a person takes opium drugs, he experiences euphoria, but not happiness or love. Yes, our body likes this feeling and it “demands a repeat.” And perhaps not only because it is very pleasant, but because when the euphoria ends (the production of endorphins decreases), there is emptiness inside. For deeper feelings that do not fade over time, a complex action of various hormones is needed.

How does it work? For example, endorphin alone is enough to feel euphoria, and for a person to experience happiness, he or she must have equally high levels of endorphin and serotonin. To achieve complete satisfaction, relatively high levels of hormones such as dopamine, endorphin and oxytocin are needed, and the feeling of being in love is formed by endorphin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which must be at a very high level.

As for love itself, endorphin does not play a decisive role here. Serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin come to the fore. Love is a feeling deeper than falling in love, and has nothing to do with euphoria. It is affection, self-sacrifice, the desire to live for the sake of another person, the ability to accept a partner as he is, the joy of possession and the quiet happiness of giving oneself completely to a loved one. The highest degree of pleasure (euphoria) is more characteristic of falling in love, which tends to idealize the object of worship.

But there is an important point that was accidentally discovered by scientists studying the effect of endorphins on humans. It turns out that in our body, opiate receptors are located not only in the head area, but also in the spinal cord, structures of the nervous system responsible for various internal organs of a person. This allows us to conclude that the system consisting of the pituitary gland and opiate receptors controls almost all human organs, including the digestive organs, excretion, respiration, etc., and not only regulates the work of the endocrine system, which has been known for a long time.

As for the regulatory function of endorphins, they control the work of various organs and the production of other hormones. This became known when opiate receptors were discovered in the junctions of neurons of other species responsible for stimulating the production of dopamine, adrenaline, acetylcholine, etc.

In theory, endorphins are substances that regulate the activity of regulatory systems, which means that all processes in the body occur under their control. Otherwise, how could one explain the increase in the pain threshold and the simultaneous improvement of mental activity in stressful situations, when endorphin begins to be produced more actively, the simultaneous improvement of regenerative processes and the functioning of the immune system, the decrease in the level of adrenaline and the restoration of the functioning of various internal organs after the extreme situation ceases to be such?

It turns out that if a person learns to control the production of the hormone endorphin, he will be able to put all the organs and systems of the body in order. This would help to avoid failures in the work of various systems, which we call diseases. A stable level of the "happy" hormone would solve the problem of severe reactions to stress, depression, the appearance of chronic fatigue syndrome, decreased productivity, etc. A person would become more resilient and satisfied with life.

It is hard to disagree that the prospect is quite attractive, but how to teach the body not only to produce endorphin in reserve, but also to spend it, regularly throwing the optimal amount into the blood? It was noticed that people with a full sleep, in general, feel happier and full of energy. This prompted the idea that endorphin is produced during sleep. If the sleep time is sufficient, the level of endorphins will also be normal. It turns out that it is worth just to improve sleep, and a person will become happier, as can be observed in children.

Unfortunately, optimizing a night's rest in the conditions of modern life is often more difficult than trying to stimulate the production of endorphins in stressful situations, of which we have more than enough. But this is not a solution. In addition, such stimulation makes the body work to the point of exhaustion, as is observed in the case of taking opium drugs. At first, a person experiences euphoria and it seems to him that he is ready to move mountains, but as soon as the level of endorphins decreases, the strength disappears, and emptiness remains inside (the aftertaste of stress).

But aren’t there other ways to make yourself happier, forcing the body to release the required amount of endorphins into the blood, which is necessary to regulate processes in the body and to obtain feelings that are pleasant to the heart?