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by Crystelle Coulon
If you’re obsessed with making more money, buying more shoes or just having more of everything, then a new study from the University of Berlin is for you.
Researchers have found that the "natural high" associated with aerobic exercise (think: doing a spin class or pounding the pavement), dampened participants' need for rewards – such as money.
The team of researchers performed an experiment on two groups of volunteers: the first group were sedentary, while the others were trained endurance athletes. They asked the volunteers to perform 30 minutes of demanding exercise on a treadmill, or the same amount of time doing "placebo exercise" such as stretching.
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An hour later, they played a monetary incentive game where the volunteers had to press buttons quickly to try and gain or avoid losing a Euro. The researchers found that the brain didn't respond any differently when it came to losing a Euro – but it dulled all the participants' desire to win money.
The research, which was published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, follows a recent study (published in the same journal) that found exercise dramatically alters our attitudes towards food.
The study asked 35 women to look at pictures of food – both after a morning of exercise and after a morning without exercise. They found that after a brisk workout, the women’s attention response to the images decreased.
Lead author Professor James LeCheminant, from Brigham Young University, said: "This study provides evidence that exercise not only affects energy output, but it also may affect how people respond to food cues."
So next time you're tempted by a hit on the pokies or trip to the buffet, maybe head to the gym instead.
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