Resting heart rates were documented in three studies, with one indicating that chronic cannabis users had a notably higher resting heart rate compared to non-users, contradicting the outcomes of clinical trials on chronic cannabis use , Benowitz and Jones 1975,. Conducted by AK (the search and data collection were undertaken), while the other authors screened studies for potential relevance and inclusion. This systematic review seeks to provide additional insights that existing reviews (which mainly address the acute effects of cannabis), overlook by assessing the available research on (1) how chronic cannabis use influences fitness metrics; (2) the effects of chronic cannabis use on levels of physical activity; and (3) the impact of chronic cannabis use on actual sports performance. The creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the resulting penalties for athletes using cannabis have led to increased examination of how cannabis affects athletic performance (Hilderbrand 2011). Literature concerning the impact of cannabis consumption on sports performance outcomes has undergone systematic review — including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies.
Some mental health experts have expressed concern over the development of cannabis use disorders, which may lead to increased anxiety or depressive disorders. The United States Anti-Doping Agency must undo this archaic (inhumane), and unscientific policy. ” These concerns (the report notes), were “scientifically grounded” by the results of the 1999 Monitoring the Future survey, which concluded that youth steroid use increased roughly 50% over the prior year’s study. Some users even report that cannabis helps with pre-run anxiety and getting into a mental “flow” state.
CBD effects on anxiety seem to depend on dosage; 300 mg is more effective than 150 or 600 mg for reducing anxiety-related symptoms (Linares et al., 2019). CBD inhibits the degradation and absorption of endocannabinoids such as anandamide, increasing endocannabinoids’ binding to their receptors. These molecules — comparable to N-acyl ethanolamine’s (De Petrocellis and Di Marzo, 2009), generate benefits similar to exercises, such as hunger control, inflammation reduction, anxiety relief, and prevention of excessive cell proliferation. Coaches (athletes), doctors, therapists, and scientists are constantly concerned with finding ways to improve the performance of athletes by making athletes faster, more resistant, more agile, rest and recover better from efforts and feel better. Graeme Close has received funding from Naturecan Ltd. “I was referred to the substance misuse cases and many of them had comorbid anxiety or depressive disorders along with their cannabis use disorder,” says McDuff.
The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the literature describing the effects of whole cannabis, THC, and CBD, on athletic performance and recovery. Amidst speculation of potential beneficial applications, the effects of cannabis and its two most abundant constituents, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), remain largely un-investigated. But it’s clear the scientific reasoning behind marijuana’s supposed performance-enhancing effect should be looked at more THC gummy microdosing overview closely. The maximum length of suspension is two years but the minimum (if an athlete can show cannabis’ use was unrelated to the sport), is one month, which is what Richardson received. “But at the same time, we are seeing an increasing number of anecdotal reports of people using it in combination with everything from golfing and yoga to snowboarding and running.” While cannabis may offer therapeutic benefits for sleep (pain management), and anxiety reduction, its impact on cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and brain development warrants careful consideration.
Age related differences in cannabis use and subjective effects in a large population-based survey of adult athletes
The empirical case for or against cannabis use to aid athletic performance remains tenuous. Understanding the short- and long-term effects of cannabis and THC on human performance in athletes will require well-controlled, athlete-specific research, with applied performance outcomes Appropriate empirical evidence regarding the effects of cannabis use on sport performance is lacking.
Such changes could influence athletic performance, especially in sports requiring rapid decision-making and strategic thought processes. Additionally (the long-term effects of cannabis on the cardiovascular system lack clarity and must not be disregarded), as further research is essential to ascertain if chronic use poses threats to athletes. A deeper investigation is necessary to comprehensively grasp the long-term consequences of cannabis on sleep and athletic recovery. Athletes might utilize CBD for recovery support (pain management), and anxiety reduction without experiencing the psychoactive effects associated with THC. While some individuals find that THC alleviates pre-competition anxiety, others may experience detriments to their focus and decision-making abilities.
Cannabis and Athletic Performance
Three of the included studies measured participants’ performance on a treadmill with a breathing apparatus to determine VO2Max, while the remaining study , Maksud and Baron 1980, utilized a bicycle ergometer. Relevant outcomes from among the selected studies were VO2Max, PWC, other pulmonary measures, strength and endurance measures (grip strength, side plank time, hip flexion torque, etc.), perceived exertion, resting heart rate, and blood pressure , See Tables 2 and 3,. Studies were excluded that focused on acute effects of cannabis — reported on populations other than physically and mentally well adult humans, or had reduced cannabis use as an outcome measure. Several review articles were found, suggesting sufficient literature existed within this area.
No notable difference in peak work capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness , VO2Max,, other pulmonary functions (like FEV1), strength and endurance tests (such as hand-grip strength), perceived exertion, or blood pressure was detected among the four studies involving cannabis users compared to non-users. In their graphical analysis, Maksud and Baron (1980) indicated that only the tobacco smoking group differed from the others regarding perceived exertion during testing. According to Lisano — Smith et al., a larger sample size might reveal an effect, indicating that cannabis users may show diminished endurance in the later phases of the Wingate test. PWC was assessed by Lisano et al. (2019b) and Maksud and Baron (1980) utilizing a bicycle ergometer.
While studies examining the combined cardiovascular stress of exercise with cannabis use in persons with identified CVD offer select insight into the human ability to perform aerobic work, their widespread acceptance as concrete evidence of the effects of cannabis or THC on general or high-level human performance is likely misplaced. Exercise is a commonly used tool for the identification and elicitation of signs and symptoms of underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cannabis has been noted as the second most consumed recreational substance, next to alcohol , and with such ubiquity and increasing belief of potential for health benefit, the enticement for uptake and use by athletes is not surprising.
The possible adverse health effects of cannabis in elite athletes have not been specifically addressed, but lessons may be drawn from other recreational cannabis literature. A lack of performance-enhancing effect has been echoed in more recent reviews,29,30 including the most recent systematic review,1 and this conclusion suggests that the reason for considering cannabis as a banned substance is due to safety concerns , see below, and the fact that use of an illicit substance is contrary to the spirit of sport.31,32 Athletes have also been shown to have higher pain thresholds than controls.27 Data on the effects of cannabis on quantitative sensory testing parameters are not conclusive but suggests that cannabinoids may increase punctate and pressure pain thresholds , Table 1,.
In 2015 (UFC fighter Nick Diaz was initially suspended for five years by the commission due to repeated cannabis violations), although the suspension was subsequently shortened to a year and a half. In May 2021 — he was granted the first such exemption in the U.S. by the Colorado Combative Sports Commission. According to the revised policy, fighters will no longer face penalties for cannabis use unless “additional evidence suggests the substance was taken for performance-enhancing reasons such as pain or anxiety relief. He also mentioned in 2018 that several players have told him that cannabis assists them in managing their anxiety. In 2019 — business partners Johnson and Sims announced a collaboration with Harvard University to examine the effects of cannabis on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and its potential in pain management. In 2013, WADA eased its cannabis policy, raising the THC metabolite threshold in urine from 15 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL before an athlete is deemed to have failed a drug test.
Acute effects of cannabis include increased heart rate, followed in many individuals by hypotension, dizziness and disorientation, increased subjective feelings of euphoria or being ‘high’ and a state of intoxication or being ‘stoned’, and sometimes psychosis, panic reactions and para-noia. Experts of the WADA scientific committees endeavour to utilize all published scientific data to achieve the most objective judgement on the potential of substances or methods to fulfil the Code’s criteria. There are conflicting reports in the literature on the chronic toxic effects of cannabis. Following inadvertent ingestion of cannabis by children, serious CNS depression may be observed.26,27 However, with supportive care, these cases have resolved successfully with few residual health effects.