Final answer:
Endorphins released during exercise help to reduce stress and have a positive effect on mental health, including anxiety and depression. They also contribute to pain management and the reduction of inflammation due to myokines release. Additionally, exercise-induced endorphin release enhances cardiovascular health by improving blood and oxygen flow throughout the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
Endorphins released during exercise contribute to better health in a few significant ways. One major benefit is that they help to reduce stress by promoting a sense of well-being or a 'runner's high,' which can be attributed to the release of endorphins and possibly endocannabinoids. Moreover, regular exercise leading to endorphin release can have a positive effect on mental health issues like anxiety and depression, offering similar benefits to pharmaceutical antidepressants.
Another health benefit of the endorphin release due to exercise is the improvement in the body's response to pain. Contracting muscles during exercise release myokines, which have been shown to be responsible for tissue repair and an anti-inflammatory response that lowers the risk of inflammatory diseases. Regular physical activity can also reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which when sustained at high levels can cause numerous health problems.
The physiological changes from the release of endorphins and myokines contribute significantly to cardiovascular health. These changes include increased blood flow and oxygen to the body, aiding in the removal of metabolic byproducts like lactic acid, while the muscular pumps facilitate venous return. Furthermore, exercise has been shown to prevent atherosclerosis, improve cardiovascular and muscular fitness, increase bone density, enhance cognitive function, and assist in weight management.