HGH – Human Growth
Hormone and Endorphins increase when you laugh – Improved autoimmune
response and reduced Cortisol levels
May 11th, 2006
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Laughter |
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Laughing is good
for you, it increases endorphins by 27 percent and HGH by 87 percent
said a study from Loma Linda University. Lee S. Berk, who is from the
Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health
and Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University,
first presented the results of this study of laughter at the American
Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006.
The researchers
studied the effects of how a person’s neuroendocrine and hormone levels
changed even when they anticipated watching their favorite funny movie.
They had two groups; one group was told that they were going to watch
the funny movie, and the control group was not informed. Blood samples
were taken just before the participants watched the movie. The results
reinforced that your thoughts can make the difference in your health.
"The blood
drawn from experimental subjects just before they watched the video had
27% more beta-endorphins and 87% more human growth hormone, compared to
blood from the control group, which didn't anticipate the watching of a
humorous video. Between blood pulls, the control group stayed in a
waiting room and could choose from a wide variety of magazines," Berk
said.
The results also
lasted for the elevated levels of endorphins and HGH while watching the
video and afterwards as well for the people that anticipated watching
the comedy. The researchers measured blood levels during and after the
movie to conclude the long lasting results.
"We believe the
results suggest that the anticipation of a humor/laughter eustress
(positive stress) event initiates changes in neuroendocrine response
prior to the onset of the event itself," Berk said. "From our prior
studies, this modulation appears to be concomitant with mood state
changes, and taken together, these would appear to carry important,
positive implications for wellness, disease-prevention and most
certainly stress-reduction," he noted.
Berk also said the
previous studies showed that laughter also helped offset chronic
stress. They benefits to reducing stress can help in the immune
response which is associated with anti-viral and anti-tumor resistance.
The research also showed that there is a rebalancing of Th1/Th2 immune
response that could help reduce autoimmune disorders.
"Mirthful laughter
diminishes the secretion of cortisol and epinephrine, while enhancing
immune reactivity. In addition, mirthful laughter boosts secretion of
growth hormone, an enhancer of these same key immune responses. The
physiological effects of a single one-hour session viewing a humorous
video has appeared to last up to 12 to 24 hours in some individuals,"
Berk said, "while other studies of daily 30-minute exposure produces
profound and long-lasting changes in these measures.”
Berk recommends
that doctors as well as patients “get serious about happiness.”
Laughter can make the difference in your health so find time to laugh
each day.
Nicole Wilson
Best Syndication
DVD Comedy Movies at Amazon
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