Do Acute Attacks of Moderate Exercise Reduce Alcohol Craving in College Students?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107071

Commentary

Because craving is associated with the misuse of alcohol, this study was investigating changes from an intervention that specifically targeted these cravings. The intervention was exercise, which theoretically has the potential to reduce craving. It is hypothesized that short motor circuits may alter reward circuits because they produce multiple psychological and physiological effects.

Neuroimaging studies have also shown that reward circuits similar to those in the brain stimulated by exercise can also be activated by commonly misused substances such as alcohol.

It was hypothesized that peripheral levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, as well as the release of endorphins, which are artificially stimulated using alcohol, would be increased via exercise-induced substitution.

Thus, the researchers theorized that exercise would replace the effects of alcohol use to a significant degree, reducing craving and reducing risky alcohol use.

The study sampled college students who reported risky drinking levels, participated in either exercise, coloring, as an active control, or a passive control intervention, and self-reported alcohol craving, mood, anxiety, and positive and negative affect scores were assessed.

Results showed that a short exercise circuit significantly reduced craving for alcohol and had beneficial effects on mood and anxiety.