Weed helps to improve motivation during exercise



[ad_1]

Washington: The researchers discovered a complex intersection between cannabis use and physical activity. A new study indicates that consumers have indicated that using this medication before and after exercise increases pleasure, improves recovery and increases motivation.

According to the study published in the Journal of Border Public Health, eight out of ten marijuana users in states where cannabis is legal say they consume it shortly before or after exercise and most say it encourages them to get some exercise, help them enjoy more exercise and improves their recovery.

"There is a stereotype that cannabis use causes people to be lazy, stuck in their couch and not physically active, but these data suggest that this is not the case," said lead author Angela Bryan. Bryan, however, stated that she was not recommending in any way to consume cannabis in addition to exercise.

"The evidence is not there yet, but I am not convinced that it is harmful," she added. Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 10 states and for medicinal purposes in dozens of others. Yet, little is known about the effects of growing acceptance on public health measures such as physical activity and obesity.

Some have hypothesized that increased use could worsen the obesity epidemic by fueling a sedentary lifestyle. On the other hand, the author prohibits the use of cannabis in sports competitions because of its potential for improving performance. "There are a lot of data points and interesting badumptions, but few of them have been tested," Bryan said.

Researchers interviewed 600 adult marijuana users in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, asking them if they had ever used cannabis an hour before or four hours after they had used cannabis. ;exercise.

Eighty-two percent answered "yes". "We were stunned, he was so high," said Bryan. A follow-up question of 345 "co-users" (people who use cannabis while exercising) found that they were more likely to consume it after that before. But 67% said that they had done both.

Of those who used it together, 70% said they increased the pleasure of exercising, 78% said it boosted recovery and 52% increased motivation.

"Since these are all recognized barriers to exercise, it is possible that cannabis actually serves to improve exercise," wrote the study's authors. . Only 38% said it improves performance, and in fact some previous small studies have suggested that this could be detrimental.

Notably, those who used it together also did about 43 minutes more exercise per week than those who did not do it. What is the physiological impact of cannabis on physical activity? "There is evidence to suggest that some cannabinoids reduce the perception of pain, and we also know that the receptors of cannabis in the brain are very similar to receptors that are naturally activated during runners' run. the pain and induce an artificial rider's high, that could keep people motivated, "said co-author Arielle Gillman.

Cannabis is also anti-inflammatory, which could help with recovery. The study did not examine the type of cannabis (edible products, smoked flowers, etc.) that people use in parallel with exercise. "As you get older, exercise starts to hurt and that's one of the reasons why older people do not do as much." If cannabis could relieve pain and inflammation , helping older people to be more active could be another benefit, "said Bryan.

[ad_2]
Source link