Dopamine is a chemical produced by neurons in the brain and is important for the normal functioning of the central nervous system and responsible for fundamental brain functions. Exercise is a natural way to increase dopamine levels but there is no medical indication that exercise causes too much dopamine production.
About Dopamine
Dopamine is produced by neurons, or nerve cells, in the midbrain. Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter, which is responsible for communication within the central nervous system, and a hormone. Dopamine affects the control of movement and emotional responses, improves mood and increases alertness. MedlinePlus identifies dopamine as a type of catecholamine, which is produced by the adrenal glands and released during episodes of extreme physical activity or emotional stress. While vigorous exercise might increase your dopamine level temporarily, it will not stay in your system for an extended period of time. Keep in mind that coffee, chocolate and certain medications can have the same affect on your catecholamine levels.
Exercise Benefits
Exercise has many health benefits, but it is also a way to naturally boost your dopamine levels. Naturally increasing the level of dopamine in your body is not dangerous and does not cause a high level. Increasing your dopamine level may actually help you fight depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercise releases certain neurotransmitters in the brain like dopamine that improve your mood. Exercise on a regular basis, which means 30 minutes a day on five or most days of the week to keep dopamine at feel-good levels. Traditional exercises like jogging and cycling are beneficial, but gardening and washing your car are also physical activities because they get you up and moving.
Too Much Exercise
Too much exercise can have health consequences but does not cause dopamine levels to be too high. Dr. Pauline Powers says on the University of South Florida Health website that exercise is beneficial to overall health, but can have detrimental effects on the body if not done in moderation. Health hazards of extreme exercise include stress fractures, musculoskeletal injuries, cardiovascular complications and problems with menstruation and bone loss in women.
Too Much Dopamine
Too much dopamine may be a side effect of addiction or certain medications, but not of exercise. For example, dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that play a role in the addiction to cocaine and some other drugs of abuse. High levels of certain drugs increase levels of dopamine that trigger pleasure centers. This results in a craving for the drug so dopamine continues to hang around and stimulate pleasure centers.
References
- Vitamins and Health Supplements Guide: Dopamine
- MedlinePlus; Catecholeamines - Blood; February 2001
- Mayo Clinic; Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms; October 2009
- University of South Florida Health; Extreme Exercise: How Much is too Much?; April 2008
- University of Texas: Dopamine - A Sample Neurotransmitter
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