Endorphins facts for kids
Endorphins are natural chemicals found in your body. They help you deal with pain. Your body releases endorphins when you get hurt. They also come out during exercise or when you laugh. Besides stopping pain, endorphins can make you feel happy.
Scientists found these chemicals in the 1970s. They noticed endorphins were like drugs such as morphine. So, they called them "endogenous morphine," meaning "morphine from inside the body." Since then, scientists have found five different types of endorphins. All of them are made naturally in your body. Most animals also have endorphins.
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What Are Endorphins?
Endorphins are special chemicals. They are like messengers in your body. They help control how you feel pain. They also play a role in your mood. When you feel good, endorphins are often involved.
How Endorphins Work
Endorphins attach to special spots in your brain. These spots are called receptors. Many pain-relieving medicines work in a similar way. They also attach to these same spots. The main difference is that your body quickly removes natural endorphins. This means their effects do not last as long as some medicines.
Some people believe that acupuncture can make your body release more endorphins. This might be why acupuncture helps with pain. Scientists are also studying if endorphins play a part in things like obesity or diabetes. They also look at their role in some mental health conditions.
Types of Endorphins
Your body makes four main types of endorphins. They are named alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ), and sigma (σ) endorphins. These four types are slightly different. They have different numbers of tiny building blocks called amino acids. Each molecule has between 16 and 31 amino acids.
Beta-Endorphins
Beta-endorphins (β-endorphins) are the strongest type of endorphins. You can usually find them in your hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The pituitary gland releases more endorphins when you are in pain. It also releases them when you are stressed. Exercise also makes your body release more endorphins. This is why working out can often make you feel better.
Other Endorphins
Met-enkephalin and leu-enkephalin are other important endorphins. They are found in your brain stem and spinal cord. They act as pain relievers for your spinal cord. Both of these have five amino acids in their structure. Four of these amino acids are the same, but the last one is different.
See also
In Spanish: Endorfina para niños
