Why Rowers Tend to Produce More Endorphins when Exercising

If you were to talk me back two years to ninth grade health class, I would be hearing my teacher talking about ways to get “naturally high.” In other words, she was talking about what people can do that satisfy their dopamine needs, without damaging their brain with harmful drugs. Being with friends, doing well on a test, and exercising were all examples given, but the most unique example given was rowing. My health teacher was obsessed with how rowing gives people a high amount of “good-feeling hormones” and how that could give people a natural high. Later being a member of the school’s rowing team, I saw that the rest of my team was also intrigued by the pleasant sensation that came from practices and races. Exercise is known to release endorphins, but what exactly makes rowing in boat with others so special?

Olympic Eights Rowing 

First, let's look at exercise in general. When humans engage in physical activity, it’s been proven that it results in an increase of endogenous opioids (endorphins), which are peptides that the brain releases, and serve as a ligand as they bind to opiate receptors in the brain. There are two ways that endorphins, such as beta-endorphins, produce the euphoric effect. In the peripheral nervous system, the bonding of the beta-endorphin to the opiate receptor results in a cascade of other reactions, eventually inhibiting the release of tachykinins (specifically substance P), which are involved in the transmission of pain. In the central nervous system, the bonding instead results in the inhibition of an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, which results in the increased release of dopamine, the famous hormone associated with good feelings and pleasure. In short, what this process does is increase the pain threshold, while creating a sense of euphoria. This can be seen in all forms of exercise, especially runners, who tend to hit a “runner’s high” due to the increase of endorphins released. Other chemicals, beyond endorphins, responsible are known as endocannabinoids. Anandamide is one of these and is helpful as it reduces the amount of stress that an individual feels. It is still being studied on whether or not it’s these endocannabinoids or endorphins that are mostly responsible for the euphoric sense produced when exercising, as the study of the nervous system is in no way complete. Either way, on a chemical basis, exercising makes people feel good. This is why exercise can be used to help people cope with numerous mental illnesses, and why people who exercise frequently, don’t shy away from it.

Chemical Structure of anandamide           

Chemical Structure of dopamine                   

So what makes rowing special? While exercise in general is one way to increase natural endorphins released by the brain, there are numerous other ways to feel the same sense of euphoria. Social activities are also credited for being one of the main ways that the brain increases the production of endorphins. Listening to music with friends, dancing with people, and social bonding in general all prove to result in the natural euphoric sensation. Rowing combines the exercise with the social activities, making the amount of endorphins released more than regular physical activities. A study was done by the University of Oxford, where they found out that when rowers work with each other, the amount of endorphins released is significantly increased. The researchers took two groups of rowers and had them train both together and alone, doing the same amount of physical work for both. Before and after each session, they measured the pain threshold of the rowers using a Medisave Littman Classic II sphygmomanometer. The blood pressure cuff would increase in pressure until the rower said they felt discomfort. This allowed the researcher to essentially measure the change in the pain threshold of the rowers in mmHg. They saw that there was an increase in pain threshold after both the individual and group workouts, but a significantly higher increase happened after the group workout. That data supported the hypothesis that exercising as a group results in a greater endorphin release, as when more of the ligands hit opiate receptors, the pain threshold of the individual goes up.

Data From the University of Oxford Experiment

Clearly, there is something about working together, in a synchronized motion, that allows for a greater euphoric experience. As a sport, rowing proves that doing work with others will usually be more enjoyable for everyone. When the COVID-19 quarantine ends, people who want to exercise more should consider doing it with friends, as humans naturally want to be with other people. Simply being with friends allows your brain to chemically make the workout easier for you, by masking the pain and giving a natural high.