Dear Not worried, just curious,

You have succeeded in keeping everyone in Alice's office busy through the holidays researching your questions! Hurray! Let's start with the endorphins. Some researchers believe that strenuous exercise releases endorphins into the blood stream. Others agree that endorphins are released during orgasm, as well as during laughter. Endorphins are a group of substances formed within the body that naturally relieve pain. They have a similar chemical structure to morphine. In addition to their analgesic affect, endorphins are thought to be involved in controlling the body's response to stress, regulating contractions of the intestinal wall, and determining mood. They may also regulate the release of hormones from the pituitary gland, notably growth hormone and the gonadotropin hormones. It seems that endorphin stimulation may occur with frequent sex and masturbation, yet Alice doesn't know of any evidence at the moment that too much sex (or exercise or laughter, for that matter) and consequential elevated levels of endorphins would have any kind of reverse effect--i.e. depletion of bodily endorphins, depression, etc. As we speak, there is current research being done to elucidate the full range of endorphins' functions in the body. Alice wouldn't worry about too much sex, though....