Smoking dried hemp before training – impact on sports performance and satisfaction with training

Pre-workout cannabis consumption may lead to greater pleasure and enhance the euphoria associated with exercise, but it is also associated with a greater sense of exertion and fatigue, according to research. 

Effects of smoking dried cannabis before training

A research paper published in December 2023 by Colorado researchers shows that using cannabis before exercise can lead to an increase in both positive and negative aspects of the experience. The results were similar for CBD- and THC-dominant herbs, but the frequency of cannabis consumption is of great importance for the type of experience - regular users of cannabinoids experience training differently after taking it than people who use dried hemp occasionally.

People who regularly take dried hemp before training are more likely to report feeling pleasure and motivation. In contrast, occasional users tend to use marijuana for reasons other than performance enhancement (e.g., relaxation, pleasure, pain management) and agree that marijuana does not improve their physical performance.

The study failed to demonstrate a positive effect of dried hemp on the body's performance. The researchers write simply: “A little marijuana before training can increase motivation and make exercise more enjoyable. However, if the goal is to improve performance, it may be better to skip the joint.”

This is the first study to examine how legal, commercially available marijuana in the U.S. shapes the exercise experience.

The course of research on the use of cannabis before training

42 people practicing running took part in the study. Recreational use of marijuana has been legal in Colorado for 10 years, and the use of dried hemp with THC during sports activities is popular, so researchers had no problems recruiting runners who smoked before training.  

After a baseline session in which researchers conducted performance measures and collected survey data, they instructed participants to pick up a specific flower strain containing primarily cannabidiol (CBD) or a Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dominant strain from a cannabis store.

During the first session, people participating in the study did not take hemp cannabinoids. They were running on the treadmill for 30 minutes. at a moderate speed, in the meantime they answered questions about motivation, pleasure, difficulty of the exercise, sense of time passing and pain level. In subsequent sessions, they repeated the same exercise after using marijuana.

Interestingly, federal law prohibits the possession or distribution of marijuana on college campuses, so runners smoked weed at home, then were picked up by a mobile lab called a "CannaVan" and returned to campus. 

Conclusions from a study on the use of cannabis before training

The researchers' main conclusion is that pre-exercise cannabis seems to increase positive mood and pleasure during exercise, regardless of whether it is a THC or CBD dominant strain. However, THC products can make exercise more challenging.

Overall, participants reported greater pleasure and more intense euphoria when exercising after using dried cannabis. The increased well-being was even greater in the CBD group than in the THC group. This suggests that athletes may be able to obtain some of the mood benefits without the impairment during exercise that can occur with THC.  

Participants in the THC group reported that the same intensity of running during exercise after taking cannabinoids was significantly more tiring and exerting than during exercise without the substance. According to researchers, this may be related to the increase in heart rate caused by THC.

Dried hemp as a cure for the "epidemic of a sedentary lifestyle"?

These conclusions seem to contradict long-standing stereotypes that associate cannabis with "lazing around on the couch" and prompt researchers to ask: Can cannabis play a role in motivating people to be physically active?

“There is an epidemic of sedentary lifestyles in the US and we need new tools to motivate people to exercise in a fun way. If marijuana is one of those tools, we need to study it with both harms and benefits in mind,” said one of the researchers, professor of psychology and neuroscience and co-director of CU Change, Angela Bryan.

The researcher is most interested in the possibility of engaging in physical activity among people who do not practice it, do not like it or have difficulty with it.

Why do people use dried hemp before training?

According to the data collected by researchers in the survey, the motivations for smoking dried hemp before training are as follows:

• 90.5% – increases pleasure
• 69% – reduces pain
• 59.5% – increases focus
• 57.1% – increases motivation
• 45.2% – makes time pass faster
• 28.6% – improves efficiency

Are endorphins during running a myth?

Pain-relieving endorphins have long been attributed to the famous "euphoric run." More recent research suggests that this is a myth: it is not endorphins, but endocannabinoids that are activated during prolonged exercise, causing euphoria, increasing concentration and alertness.

According to researchers, athletes may be able to benefit from this condition during a shorter workout or intensify it during a long one by using CBD or THC. Hemp cannabinoids bind to the same receptors as endocannabinoids produced naturally by our brain (the effect of marijuana on the body, including its medical use, is based on this mechanism).

Researchers caution, however, that people considering marijuana use should be aware that it may come with risks such as dizziness and loss of balance, and it is not for everyone. 

For someone who is trying to get a good time over a short distance, using cannabis before training probably doesn't make sense. But for an ultra runner who simply wants to endure long-term training, it may make sense.

Is it worth using dried hemp before training?

In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency allowed the use of CBD by athletes, but THC is still on the list of banned substances. There are many indications that this will change soon. Growing knowledge about the positive effects of using dried hemp and the growing popularity of medical marijuana therapy, also in terms of body regeneration, will probably lead to THC being removed from the list of substances banned in sports.

It is worth noting, however, that the body's reactions to the consumption of hemp cannabinoids before training may be varied and individual. These effects may depend on many factors, such as the dose consumed, the type of product used, individual predispositions and the body's tolerance. Additionally, the effects of cannabis on body performance may vary depending on the type of physical activity.

The authors of the review of research on the effects of using dried hemp before training emphasize that there is still a lack of methodologically strong research on the short- and long-term effects of using hemp cannabinoids before training.

Currently available results do not take into account many variables that may be crucial to understanding the impact of cannabinoids on the body's athletic performance. Based on the current state of knowledge, it is difficult to determine safe doses, the optimal chemical composition of the herb for athletes, the method of administration and how long before training cannabinoids should be administered.  

People interested in using cannabis in the context of training should be aware of these variables and monitor their own reactions. It is recommended to consult a doctor before taking a psychoactive substance before exercising.