Faster, Better, Stronger… Higher? – Cannabis & Exercise

Cannabis and exercising? Are you kidding me?

Nope.

People believe that an average cannabis consumer is a lazy stoner laying on a couch all day. Our colleagues from Leafly did some research, and that is what they found out about tight relationships between marijuana and sports.

1. Run, Forest, Run

Science tells us that the human body stores THC in fat. THC is a primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plants. A study printed in 2013 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence has shown that this storage can boost your run even up to 28 days after you ate your cookies. Whoooooop!

When the body starts to burn fat, it releases the stored THC back into the bloodstream. The cannabinoid stimulates your brain and body, as you would have eaten a small amount of cannabis. THC blood levels fire up by 15% immediately after even moderate exercise. However, it disappears two hours later. Sorry!

Oh, and one more thing: the bigger fat percentage you have, the larger amount of THC your body release. You will be far more motivated!

2. Your body getting high from exercise

Exercising is fantastic. It prevents obesity and heart disease, save you from diabetes and a whole lot of other debilitating illnesses. A good workout increases your longevity and quality of life.

It also makes you happy. Perhaps, you know that the chemical compounds called endorphins are responsible for your excitement. You are right but here’s something new: a 2003 study showed that an exercise activates the endocannabinoid system that consists of a group of cannabinoid receptors throughout the human body.

Exercise, even moderate, slightly harms your body to build new, stronger tissues. Perhaps, releasing its own cannabinoids helps ease pain and inflammation. Researchers think that these human-produced compounds make you feel ‘high’ during your exercise.

3.  Say no to belly fat

Exercise and healthy eating help to burn fat. However, here’s something else that can help you – and it is cannabis.

Research, published in the American Journal of Medicine, has shown that regular marijuana users have lower fasting insulin than non-users.

Insulin is the hormone regulating the amount of sugar your cells can take in and process for energy. If this number is too high, you are gaining weight. If your hormone system gets broken, you are gaining weight.

The study showed that marijuana consumers have 16% less insulin in their bodies before they eat. Also, research revealed that cannabis users had 17% lower insulin resistance levels and – that is the most important thing – lower average waist sizes. According to this study, cannabis can help facilitate a metabolic function.

It seems that cannabis is incredibly useful in losing weight and getting ripped. Coupled with the pain relief and happiness it provides, you will love your gym time!