Exercise changes gut microbes and eases inflammation via endocannabinoids

Exercise appears to alter the gut microbes, which increases endocannabinoids, in turn reducing inflammation and potentially helping treat conditions including arthritis. Little is known as to how exercise reduces inflammation. So a group from the University of Nottingham recruited 78 people with arthritis into their research: 38 participants carried out 15 minutes of muscle strengthening exercises every day for six weeks; the other 40 participants did nothing. At the end of the study, participants who did the exercise intervention had:

• Reduced their pain levels;
• More microbes in their gut of the kind that produce anti-inflammatory substances;
• Lower levels of cytokines;
• Higher levels of endocannabinoids.

The increase in endocannabinoids was strongly linked to changes in the gut microbes and anti-inflammatory substances produced by gut microbes. “Our study clearly shows that exercise increases the body’s own cannabis-type substances, which can have a positive impact on many conditions,” says first author, Dr Amrita Vijay in Gut Microbes. “As interest in cannabidiol oil and other supplements increases, it is important to know that simple lifestyle interventions like exercise can modulate endocannabinoids.” For more in-depth features, interviews and information, subscribe to Arthritis Digest magazine, a popular title that’s published six times a year. Click here for the digital version or tel 01892 354087 to order your hard copy. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products.