WORDS EMILY SPIEGEL
In what might be de- scribed as something of a chicken-or-egg scenario, scientists discovered the receptors for endorphins before they identified the neuropeptides which we call endorphins. Endor- phins, (short for endoge- nous morphine) are nat- urally-occurring opioids which are released from your pituitary gland. You may already know that endorphins are released during physi- call activity and that they help promote feelings of well-being. Beyond this the release of endorphins has been shown to decrease anxiety, increase self-es- teem, and reduce appetite. What you may not know is that endorphins play another important role in pain control, hindering or inhibiting signals of pain. Endorphins have actu- ally been cited as a stronger source of pain relief than morphine. So how do they work?