by A recent study conducted on cannabis users and exercise sheds light on the effects of cannabis on physical activity. The study, published in the journal Sports Medicine, is the first of its kind to explore how legal cannabis products influence the experience of exercise. The findings indicate that cannabis can increase positive mood and enjoyment during exercise, regardless of whether the product contains THC or CBD. However, THC products specifically may make exercise feel more challenging.
The study involved 42 runners who regularly used cannabis and focused on the effects of cannabis use on exercise. Participants were asked to use either a cannabis strain containing CBD or a THC-dominant strain obtained from a dispensary. They were then asked to run on a treadmill for 30 minutes at a moderate pace while periodically answering questions about their motivation, enjoyment, perceived effort, perception of time, and pain levels.
The results showed that participants reported greater enjoyment and a more intense sense of euphoria, also known as the runner’s high, when exercising after using cannabis. Interestingly, the CBD group experienced an even greater mood enhancement compared to the THC group, suggesting that athletes can potentially benefit from improved mood without the impairment associated with THC.
On the other hand, participants in the THC group reported that running felt significantly more challenging during the cannabis-assisted workout compared to the sober one. This may be due to THC’s ability to increase heart rate. Previous research conducted remotely also indicated that runners performed slower under the influence of cannabis.
The study challenges long-held stereotypes that associate cannabis with sedentary behavior and raises the question of whether cannabis could play a role in promoting physical activity. Given the high percentage of cannabis users who reported using it before or shortly after exercise in a previous survey, researchers believe that further exploration of the intersection between cannabis and exercise is necessary.
Senior author Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience and co-director of CU Change, stresses the importance of finding new tools to encourage physical activity in a society grappling with a sedentary lifestyle. However, she also cautions that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug and may not be suitable for individuals aiming for peak athletic performance.
While the runner’s high has traditionally been attributed to natural endorphins, recent research suggests that endogenous cannabinoids produced by the brain may be responsible for the euphoria and alertness experienced during exercise. Cannabis, containing cannabinoids that bind to the same receptors as the brain’s endogenous cannabinoids, may enable athletes to tap into this heightened experience of exercise.
However, athletes considering cannabis use should be aware of the potential risks associated with it, such as dizziness and loss of balance. Cannabis may not be suitable for individuals seeking to achieve their fastest times or personal records in races. But for those engaging in longer training runs or seeking to enhance enjoyment during exercise, it may be worth exploring the use of cannabis as a tool for motivation.
In conclusion, the study suggests that cannabis use before exercise can enhance enjoyment and mood but does not improve performance. Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of cannabis use on physical activity and to develop evidence-based recommendations for its use in the context of exercise.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
