Cannabis did not improve aerobic exercise performance
American researchers conducted a cross-sectional laboratory study and concluded that the use of cannabis before aerobic exercise increases motivation and enjoyment, but does not affect performance. A publication about this appeared in the journal Sports Medicine.
The use of cannabis products (Cannabis sativa) is traditionally associated with hypodynamia, so their legalization in a number of countries and American states raises concerns about the possible worsening of the epidemic of sedentary lifestyles. Meanwhile, a survey of 605 people from states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use found that 81.7 percent of them use it while exercising. Such practices have not yet been investigated in a laboratory setting.
To fill this gap, Laurel Gibson and colleagues at the University of Colorado (the first U.S. state to allow recreational cannabis) invited 42 people between the ages of 21 and 39 (average 30.81 years) who regularly used cannabis and jogged to participate. After an introductory survey and interview, they were asked to purchase cannabis varieties containing predominantly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main psychoactive component of cannabis) or cannabidiol (CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that modulates the effects of THC) from an authorized retail outlet.
Because possession and use of marijuana is prohibited in U.S. educational institutions, participants consumed it at home ad libitum, after which they were immediately taken to a mobile laboratory and moved to a stationary laboratory. There they ran for 30 minutes on a treadmill at a measured pace, periodically answering questions from the researchers. At another visit, a similar session was conducted without the use of cannabis.
It was found that during exercise after cannabis use, regardless of cannabis strain, participants had higher mood (p less than 0.001), greater pleasure (p less than 0.001) and manifestations of runner's euphoria (p less than 0.001), but experienced greater physical exertion (p = 0.04). Pain levels were not significant and did not differ between the main and control sessions. The cannabis variety only had a small effect on running pleasure (p = 0.02) and physical exertion (p = 0.02).
Thus, when cannabis is habitually used prior to exercise, it enhances both positive and negative aspects of subjective perceptions of physical exertion. Taking into account data from a previous study in which participants ran slower after marijuana use (31 extra seconds per mile), the authors concluded that cannabis does not improve aerobic exercise performance.