Chances are that you know someone that smokes...
weed from time to time.
And seeing that this channel’s age demographic is pretty much in line with the age of people
that smokes the most weed, you probably smoke a bit as well.
And wouldn’t be surprised if you’re high right now.
But what happens when you mix a little bit of that THC with your workouts?
What happens when you work out high?
For those of you that don’t know much about marijuana, the most important substance in
it is tetrahydrocannabinol, aka THC.
THC has a huge effect in one system of the body known as the endocannabinoid system.
In fact, your body produces its own THC-like substances known as, well, endocannabinoids.
When endocannabinoids or THC binds to cannabinoid receptors, primarily in the brain, it causes
all types of fascinating effects that pot users are familiar with.
Now the question is whether any of these effects can help with your workouts.
First, let’s make it clear that even though it’s more widely accepted today, smoking
marijuana is still illegal in most states and many countries.
Because of that, this channel does not condone the use of marijuana.
Goal of this video is to look at what we know about marijuana and how it can help or hurt
your gainz at the gym.
Whether you choose to use marijuana or any other THC-inducing drug is solely your choice.
Now, let’s face it.
Most people’s image of a marijuana user is not what we would call “physically active.”
The cliché “lazy couch dwelling pot smoker” almost makes it seem like smoking weed will
do absolutely nothing in terms of fitness.
But many athletes say otherwise.
Some triathletes have said that consuming THC-laced edibles were able to help them focus
better in physical activities.
Some athletes say that getting high allowed them to take away anxiety during workouts.
Marathon runners have said that smoking weed before a run allowed them to get into a groove
easier, and it makes it feel like they can run for much longer.
So the anecdotes of professional athletes seem to give a thumbs up to bongs up.
But what about actual research?
Well, the thing is, not too many research is out there since marijuana and THC is still
classified as a “Schedule 1” illegal substance.
But we do have some research and the information is quite interesting.
First is the connection of marijuana and the good feeling after a long jog known as the
“runner’s high.”
It was long believed that runner’s high came from the release of beta-endorphins.
But now studies say that's not true since endorphins can't reach the brain.
Instead it’s most likely from endocannabinoids, which can reach the brain.
Since marijuana’s THC share the same effects as endocannbinoids, it can be possible to
increase the sensation of a runner’s high if you smoked a bit before you run.
Not exactly improving performance, but at least improve the enjoyment of exercise.
As far as improving performance, unfortunately, it seems that all studies are pointing at
zero.
In terms of power output, studies have found that, when performing a cycling test at maximal
effort, smoking marijuana caused subjects to exhaust faster.
Another study showed a placebo beat out marijuana in an endurance test.
They even found that the smokers routinely had an elevated heart rate and blood pressure.
This can be discomforting and problematic for people at risk for coronary heart disease.
And even though yes, smoking marijuana can reduce stress and pain sensations, which can
even help you push through a few more reps, this can pose as a huge risk.
Since many of the early indicators of injury from physical activity is discomfort and joint
pain, smokers might not be able to timely identify pain-injury signals before it’s
too late.
And THC is also a psychoactive drug that can impair coordination and slow down reaction
time.
A study found that smoking 17mg of THC caused users to run into walls more frequently and
took longer to complete a virtual maze test.
A caveat, though, is that people smoking only 13 milligrams of THC did as well as non-smokers.
On top of this, another study showed that if smokers were given a chance to practice,
they were able to perform just as well as non-smokers in a reaction test.
So if you do choose to workout high, perhaps smoke just a little bit and make sure you
get enough warmup practice before you go heavy.
And one more possible positive, but not fully proven, is that marijuana can serve as vasodilator.
This means that it can improve blood flow by widening your arteries, which can help
with delivering nutrients to your muscles and vasodilation has shown to even improve
soreness.
A small win for grass city.
Now putting everything in perspective, it doesn’t seem like working out high is that
great of an idea.
There’s just no proven performance benefits and it might even make it worse.
But if taking a few puffs will help you with YOUR workout, then don’t let this video
stop you from puffing away.
Stay high and stay active!
What’s your thoughts on working out high?
Share in the comments below.
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