Researchers find cannabis can help people enjoy exercise better, but it can also increase perceived effort
A new study from the University of Colorado published in Sports Medicine suggests that regular marijuana users who smoke legal market marijuana before exercise may experience more active exercise.
The study, based in Colorado, the first state to sell recreational marijuana, aimed to explore the effects of marijuana on exercise and consider its possible motivating effects on fitness.
“It’s important to understand and understand how commercially available cannabis products impact the exercise experience, especially focusing on common barriers to exercise,” lead author Laurel Gibson, a researcher at the University of Colorado, explained in a video. experiment. “How does cannabis affect pain during exercise? How does it affect enjoyment, motivation, and effort.”
“We are seeing more and more anecdotal reports in the media of people combining cannabis with various forms of exercise,” Gibson added. “There are some recent population-based studies that actually show that people who smoke marijuana are more likely to be physically active than people who don’t use marijuana.”
The study’s 42 participants were all regular runners and cannabis users between the ages of 21 and 39, and researchers compared their exercise experiences with and without the use of two commercially available cannabis flower products. . participant A baseline assessment and two exercise tests were completed on a treadmill.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, participants reported more positive experiences and worse symptoms of runners after using marijuana before exercising, but they did report more exercise. Researchers say the effects may depend in part on the cannabinoid content.
While the study’s authors acknowledge that further research should be conducted using different samples and methods, the legalization of marijuana in many states and growing interest in CBD wellness products have led some of the biggest names in professional sports to tap into green currency and advocate for cannabis Benefits in supporting overall health.
Former NFL players Calvin Johnson Jr. and Rob Sims of the Detroit Lions co-founded Primitiv Group in 2021, a Michigan-based cannabis and research company that sells high-performance products containing non-THC phytocannabinoids and Owns two retail stores featuring cannabis products. Johnson Jr. has been open about his marijuana use, saying he has used cannabis flower to manage his chronic pain and even admitted to taking it before games.
Former NFL player Marshawn Lynch is outspoken about the benefits of using cannabis and has launched Dodi Blunts, a “diamond-infused” cannabis line.
“I try to stay the course and not be in last place,” Lynch said. interview. “I know I need to take care of my body, so how do I take care of it?”
