Close your eyes and imagine a natural, plant-based supplement that relieves pain, increases your focus, and regulates your metabolism. Sounds like the ideal boost to hit the ground running for your fitness journey, right?
Right. Contrary to the stoner stereotype you see in movies, research shows cannabis has medicinal properties that can bring your fitness journey to the next level.
Athletes around the country turn to cannabis or have become more open about its use. In a recent Public Library of Science survey, 26 percent of athletes reported using cannabis. Older athletes were more likely to use CBD products, whereas younger and middle-aged athletes used THC and CBD.
Pain relief was among the top reasons why the athletes said they use cannabis. They also reported additional benefits of using cannabis, such as:
- Better sleep quality
- Anxiety and stress relief
- Increased energy and athletic performance
- Reduced muscle spasms
Cannabis Relieves Post-Workout Soreness
Muscle soreness is a common complaint after working out. In some cases, the pain may not occur until a day after exercising and continue to persist for four or five days. It’s known as onset muscle soreness and commonly occurs in individuals who are not accustomed to working out, according to the Journal of Physiology.
Joint pain and lower back pain are also common in cyclists, weight lifters, and athletes.
Cannabis has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can soothe your aches and soreness after a workout. In addition to vaping cannabis, you should ask your local cannabis online canada if they carry topical creams. These allow you to apply the medicine directly to your sore muscles.
Cannabis Increases Your Focus
Many individuals report a jolt to their focus that inspires them to clean their entire house after using cannabis. Others have utilized that focus to feel more motivated and engaged in their workouts.
While researchers are still investigating the science behind cannabis increasing your focus, it may have to do with the terpenes in some strains. For example, many sativa and hybrid strains of cannabis contain limonene, a focus-boosting compound found in citrus fruits.
Cannabis Helps You Breathe Better
According to an NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine Journal review, cannabis is a slight bronchodilator, which increases airflow to your lungs and improves breathing.
The bronchodilation combined with the anti-inflammatory properties can help those with asthma while jogging or doing light exercise. It can also increase your workout by maintaining higher blood-oxygen levels, which delivers more oxygen to your tissues.
Although there are cases of cannabis irritating the lungs, this is due to how it is used. For example, smoking a joint and smoking a cigarette both cause carcinogens to accumulate in your lungs. However, taking a cannabis capsule or tincture would eliminate the effects of smoking it.
Cannabis Regulates Your Metabolism
Ever wonder why cannabis gives you the munchies? Well, a Translational Psychiatry Journal study demonstrated that cannabis regulates hormones responsible for your metabolism and appetite. Cannabis also helps regulate blood sugar.
If you’re able to resist the munchies, cannabis may be an effective weight-loss aid for your fitness journey. Some cannabis terpenes have appetite-suppressant effects too, like humulene.
Conclusion
From pain relief and focus to metabolism and oxygen boosts, there are many ways cannabis can benefit your fitness journey. These aren’t the only benefits of cannabis, either.
For example, cannabis can enhance the quality of your sleep, allowing you to rest and recover after exercising. It mostly comes down to the strain of cannabis you choose so it’s essential to read reviews and speak with a budtender and learn more about which strains would benefit you the most.
