Breaking the Grass Ceiling: Cannabis's Surprising Role in Sports Motivation
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
In the world of fitness, where energy drinks and protein bars reign supreme, cannabis is making a surprising entrance, challenging the lazy stoner stereotype head-on. A study out of the University of Colorado explored the effects of legal, commercially available cannabis on exercise, revealing that a pre-workout puff might just be the secret ingredient to a more enjoyable run.
Published in Sports Medicine on December 26, this research turns the tables on the idea that cannabis users are more couch-bound than cardio-focused. Conducted among 42 runners, the study coincided with the 10-year anniversary of Colorado's move to legalize recreational marijuana, highlighting a growing trend of mixing green with gym routines.
But why do people mix weed and workouts? A survey of study participants sheds light on this burning question: 90.5% reported it increases enjoyment; 69% said it decreases pain; 59.5% noted it increases focus; 57.1% felt it increases motivation; 45.2% mentioned it makes time go by faster; and 28.6% believed it improves performance. These statistics offer a compelling glimpse into the mindset of cannabis-using exercisers, emphasizing a quest for more pleasurable, less painful, and mentally engaging workouts.
The brains behind this novel investigation, Laurel Gibson and Angela Bryan of CU's Center for Health and Addiction: Neuroscience, Genes, and Environment, discovered that cannabis can indeed elevate the exercise experience. According to their findings, both THC and CBD— cannabis compounds—boost mood and enjoyment during workouts. However, THC takes the unique trophy of making exercise feel like a heavier lift, literally. This insight flips the script on cannabis, suggesting it could be a secret weapon against the sedentary lifestyle epidemic, not by locking users to the couch but by encouraging them to leap off it.
The study's methodology involved a select group of Boulder-area runners who were no strangers to cannabis-enhanced sprints. Participants were assigned either a CBD or THC strain to test their effects on various aspects of exercise, from motivation and enjoyment to perceived effort and pain. Due to federal regulations, the cannabis consumption occurred off-campus, with participants transported to the lab in a 'CannaVan' for the exercise tests.
What stood out was not just the elevated mood and increased euphoria—akin to the famed "runner's high"—but that these effects were even more pronounced in the CBD group than those who took THC. This suggests that the benefits of cannabis in making exercise more enjoyable don't necessarily come with a psychoactive price tag. Yet, those in the THC camp felt the burn a bit more, suggesting that THC's effect on increasing heart rate contributes to this sensation.
The kicker? While cannabis might make you love your workout more, it doesn't promise to make you better at it. In fact, participants clocked in slower times under the influence, leading Bryan to conclude that cannabis is definitely not a performance-enhancing drug. Yet, with elite athletes getting sidelined for cannabis use, the study poses a provocative question: If cannabis makes exercise more enjoyable, could it be the nudge some people need to get moving?
This research breaks new ground, not just in understanding cannabis's role in exercise but in challenging long-standing myths about its users. This study opens up a new dialogue on the role of cannabis in fitness and wellness, challenging its status as a barrier to athletic achievement and highlighting its potential as a catalyst for physical activity.
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