Can weed make you enjoy exercise more? Here's what a new study has to say

Cannabis is a popular , considering where you live, that many people use for various reasons, such as relaxation, pain relief, or recreation. But what happens when you combine cannabis with exercise? Does it make you more motivated, more happy, or more tired? A new study published in on December 26, 2023, tried to answer these questions.

It was the first study to look at how legal, commercial cannabis affects the feelings of exercise. The study was done by researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Health and Addiction: Neuroscience, Genes and Environment (CU Change). They studied 42 runners who already use cannabis while running.

The researchers gave the runners two different types of cannabis: one with mostly CBD, which is a non intoxicating component, and one with mostly THC, which is the main psychoactive component. The runners had to use the cannabis at home before coming to the lab in a mobile van called the ‘CannaVan.’ They also had to wear a safety belt on a treadmill, where they ran for 30 minutes at a moderate pace.

The researchers asked the runners how they felt during the exercise, such as their motivation, enjoyment, effort, time perception, and pain. The results showed that cannabis had different effects on the feelings of exercise, depending on the type and the person. The runners who used cannabis, either CBD or THC, reported more positive mood and more enjoyment during the exercise than the runners who did not use cannabis.

After the exercise, They also felt more euphoric, or ‘runner’s high.’ However, the runners who used THC also reported more effort and more pain during the exercise than the runners who did not use THC. They felt that the same level of running was harder when they used THC than when they did not.

The researchers explained that this might be because THC increases the heart rate, which makes the exercise more challenging. The researchers also found that the runners who used CBD had even more positive moods and more enjoyment than the runners who used THC. This suggests that CBD might have some benefits for the mood without the drawbacks of THC.

The study challenged the common people lazy and unmotivated. Instead, it showed that cannabis can make exercise more enjoyable and rewarding for some people. The researchers said that this could have implications for the future as cannabis becomes more legal and accessible in many places. They said that cannabis might be a useful tool to encourage people to exercise more, especially those who have a sedentary lifestyle and struggle to find motivation.

However, they also warned that cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug and that it might have negative effects on exercise for some people, especially those who use THC. They said that more research is needed to understand the risks and benefits of cannabis for exercise and to find the optimal dose and type for different individuals and activities.

In a previous study conducted remotely, the same researchers found that while runners felt more enjoyment under the influence of cannabis, they ran 31 seconds per mile slower. “It is pretty clear from our research that cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug,” said Bryan, the senior author of the study.

Notably, numerous elite athletes—including U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson— have been prohibited from competing in recent years after testing positive for cannabis. An NCAA committee recently recommended removing it from its list of banned substances. Why does cannabis make exercise feel better? While natural, pain killing endorphins have long been credited with the famous “runner’s high,” newer research suggests that this is a myth: Instead, naturally produced brain chemicals known as endogenous cannabinoids are likely at play, kicking in after an extended period of exercise to produce euphoria and alertness.

“The reality is, some people will never experience the runner’s high,” Gibson, the study's first author, notes. By consuming CBD or THC, cannabinoids that bind to the same receptors as the cannabinoids our brain makes naturally, athletes might be able to tap into that high with a shorter workout or enhance it during a long one, she said.

Athletes considering using cannabis should be aware that it can come with risks — including dizziness and loss of balance— and it’s not for everyone. Bryan said it doesn't make sense to use beforehand for someone gunning for a fast 5k or marathon PR. But for an ultrarunner just trying to get through the grind of a double digit training run, it might.

As a public health researcher, Bryan is most interested in how it could potentially impact those who struggle to exercise, either because they can’t get motivated, it hurts, or they don’t like it. “Is there a world where taking a low dose gummie before they go for that walk might help? It’s too early to make broad recommendations but it’s worth exploring,” she said..