Marijuana May Encourage People To Exercise, According To A New Study

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More and more people are looking to combine cannabis with their workout routine.  According to a new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health Tuesday, marijuana users in states where the drug is recreationally legal said that they use it either shortly before or shortly after exercise.

Many of those mentioned in the paper say that they think marijuana helps to motivate them to work out, as well as enjoy exercise more and improve their recovery. That’s to say that they think that not only is cannabis helping them get motivated to work out, but it’s also helping them avoid pain the day after as well, potentially motivating them to exercise more frequently.

The paper is the result of research done at CU Boulder.

“Our results suggest that prior findings of cannabis users being more likely to meet official exercise recommendations may be at least partly associated with perceived impacts of cannabis co-use on enjoyment, reductions in pain and inflammation during and after exercise, and to a lesser extent motivation,” reads the study.

“Furthermore, participants who use cannabis before and/or after exercise reported that they exercised more, and had positive attitudes about co-use on exercise, which implies cannabis may be a useful tool for exercise among some users. In other words, sedentary cannabis users, particularly those who attribute low physical activity to concerns about recovery, motivation, or enjoyment, may benefit from co-use, provided that they select low-risk exercise options that do not compromise safety during intoxication.”

The study seems to contradict the stereotype that cannabis users tend to be couch potatoes and not exercise as much as those who do not use the drug.

The research seems to indicate that rather than promoting a sedentary lifestyle, cannabis is actually helping to drive some users into participating in physical activities.

More than just after workouts, some participants in the study reported using marijuana to battle nausea and boredom during long runs.

The anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis can dampen pain while working out. Given that fact, and the results of the study, researchers think that ultimately it could be used to help older people amongst others, whom often experience a great deal of pain when exercising, the ability to exercise later in life and ultimately live healthier lives.

Researchers note that future research is required to fully understand how marijuana impacts exercise; however, this early report suggests that the impact of the drug might be more positive than previously thought.

“These data suggest that many cannabis users in states with legal cannabis access use in conjunction with exercise, and that most who do so believe it increases enjoyment of, recovery from, and to some extent the motivation to engage in exercise. As these factors positively correlate with exercise behavior, using cannabis with exercise may play a beneficial role in the health of cannabis users,” reads the study.

“Recommendations around cannabis use with exercise are premature until aforementioned research questions have been addressed, including independent verification of self-reported behaviors and negative consequences of co-use.”

Original Article Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyprice/2019/04/30/marijuana-may-encourage-people-to-exercise-according-to-a-new-study/