Effects Of Smoking Marijuana And Working out

Marijuana is a substance, which is usually hot off the press for a number of different reasons.

Most recently it’s been hitting headlines due to its medicinal properties and its ability to cure various forms of cancer.

The sufferers of many ailments are prescribed marijuana because of its incredible properties, but in these instances, it’s prescribed by medical professionals.

So what exactly is marijuana?

Marijuana is often referred to as a number of different things, some of them being pot, weed, herb, grass, bud, ganja, to name but a few.

Its appearance often resembles a greenish-grey mixture and the most popular method of consuming marijuana is to smoke it in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints.

Whether you take marijuana for medicinal reasons as prescribed by your doctor or for personal reasons in your private life there are a few things you should know about how it effects your gym life, working out and your gains.

Here it goes…

It can give you a bigger BUZZ when you exercise!

In a recent study that was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers at the University of Sydney concluded that taking part in exercise can actually provide you with a stronger ‘buzz’ in your brain and a more potent feel-good factor along with an increased potency of the marijuana.

So exercise will trigger a bigger high for users.

The study discovered that levels of marijuana’s active ingredient were 15% higher on average after the participants had engaged in exercise.

This study proves that marijuana users can actually experience the same high when they exercise compared to when they consume it.

Marijuana can help to keep you stay focused  

Using marijuana before exercising can actually help to keep you focused when you are partaking in your chosen activity.

It has been discussed that marijuana is the ideal kinesthetic for integrating your mind, body, and spirit into exercise.

Also, you may not have known that marijuana and exercise both activate the same endocannabinoid system in your brain.

You are probably all too aware that exercise makes you feel great!

It releases endorphins, lowers the risk diabetes & heart disease as well as keeping obesity levels down.

Regular exercises can also help to alleviate stress and improve your self-confidence. Marijuana also activates the same endocannabinoid system in the brain.

Marijuana can actually help to raise your metabolism  

This might be one you haven’t heard of before but marijuana can indeed help speed up your metabolism.

You can actually achieve a fat burning effect before even hitting the gym!

Surprising, isn’t it? A recent study that was recorded in Men’s Journal demonstrated that the compounds THC and cannabidiol found in marijuana can assist in raising metabolism, speeding up fat loss, and lowering cholesterol levels!

So there you go! You might have thought that weed was counter-productive to your success but that’s not always the case!

But what about your gainz?

Are marijuana and bodybuilding a good mix or not?

Well, it has been debated that the consumption or smoking of it can lead to inhibited muscle gain, but why?

This is down to two factors:

Growth hormone

Human growth hormone is responsible for cell renewal and growth so of course, it’s probably the most vital component in muscular growth.

THC has also been found to reduce the amount of human growth hormone, which could have an effect on muscle growth.

Testosterone

THC is the primary psychoactive which is found in cannabis and numerous studies have shown that it can significantly reduce the production of testosterone.

Studies have proven that THC can actually suppress the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis or HPA, which can inhibit testosterone production.

As with most things marijuana is no different, you have to take the good with the bad.

You may have to look inside yourself, your personality, lifestyle, and goals when deciding if marijuana will inhibit your ability to perform your exercise or gym routine.
If you are a keen bodybuilding enthusiast then maintaining a healthy eating and lifestyle regime that compliments your goals is crucial.