How Does Smoking Marijuana Affect Weightlifting?
We’re living in times of big changes. How does marijuana affect weightlifting? Well, as technological progress occurs faster, the first AI has been granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia. The number of people living in urban areas is increasingly rising. People are turning their focus from fossil fuels to find ways to utilize renewable energy sources. Another big change is the legalization of marijuana in several states of the U.S. More than half of them deemed it illegal by 1931 (the massive unemployment during the Great Depression led to an increased fear of Mexican immigrants who introduced the recreational use of marijuana, having the American government condemn cannabis as dangerous).
Nowadays, the plant’s medical benefits are being acknowledged, even by professional athletes. Cannabis helps increase our appetite, pain threshold, and helps with post-workout recovery. When it comes to using cannabis to improve weightlifting efforts and results, the effects actually vary depending on the person using it. We are here to explore the dilemma regarding the plants’ potential effects on hormones, behavior, and cognition.
The endocannabinoid system and weightlifting
One of the most important and far-reaching systems in the human body is the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which refers to a series of cell receptors and corresponding molecules. The two main cell receptors, CB-1 and CB-2 are bound in our brains and bodies by cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), through marijuana consumption. The binding of CB-1 and CB-2 by exogenous cannabinoids impacts several metabolic processes.
The ECS controls pain sensation, appetite, temperature regulation, stress reactivity, sleep, immune function, and many other processes. Muscle and fat tissues utilize these cell receptors as well to control their own processes. Thus, a marijuana smoking habit can be perceived as a way to hack into our metabolism and affect certain processes.
Appetite
Weightlifters pay much attention to their nutrition, as it’s highly important for their muscle building goals. When activated by dronabinol CB-1 prompts the release of hormones that promote hunger. This can mean the world to all the weightlifters out there. The effects can be produced only by short-term cannabis use. Chronic marijuana users usually experience a decrease in appetite. THC has a weaker impact on appetite than 2-AG (a naturally-produced endocannabinoid molecule). Cannabis binds the CB-1 receptor, which results in an appetite decrease due to downregulation of CB-1 receptors, and eventually – weight loss.
Physical performance
There are several studies that showed how marijuana impairs human psychomotor abilities. Today, certain pro athletes have become major cannabis advocates, claiming that it also helps them with post-workout recovery, making it one of the cannabis trends in the industry that needs to be considered responsibly.
Muscle building: Kush Ups
We mentioned performance enhancement with runners and extreme athletes, but what about weightlifters? How does cannabis consumption affect muscle building? This requires a discussion of its effect on human hormones. The human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone as two of the most important hormones that influence muscle growth.
When it comes to testosterone, there are studies that found a decrease in testosterone, as well as those that found no effect on testosterone levels, in addition to normal levels of follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, and luteinizing hormone.
The legalization of cannabis in the U.S. hasn’t been conducted across the entire country, with a few ridiculous laws pertaining to cannabis still remaining. Weightlifters may benefit from appetite increase and post-workout recovery. The fact is that cannabis won’t impair your body’s ability to perform and build muscle. Just keep yourself disciplined when enjoying the herb. Don’t let it affect your dieting and training plans. You’ll manage to break through your physical plateaus and build muscle.
Luke is a fitness and health blogger at Ripped.me and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. He follows the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life and loves to share his knowledge through useful and informative articles.
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