Further research in the area of cannabis and exercise is needed as cannabis is increasingly legalised worldwide. Aedo-Muñoz et al. (2019) compared performance via video analysis between fighters that tested positive for cannabis during their bout and fighters that tested negative. Maksud and Baron (1980) found cannabis users to have significantly lower BMI and body fat % (a trend which is observed in most epidemiological studies), which Clark et al. (2018) suggests results from a metabolic effect caused by modulation of the endocannabinoid system.
The most common neurocognitive deficit observed during acute intoxication is short-term memory impairment. The objective of this review is to provide the scientific data to support the status of cannabis vis-à-vis the Prohibited List, and to further explore cannabinoid pharmacokinetics and pharmacology after acute and chronic exposure in the context of the fight against doping in sport. After thorough consideration by the WADA scientific committees, prohibition of cannabinoids across all sports in-competition was established and this remained in force in subsequent versions of the Prohibited List. Since the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was conceived in 1999 by the sport movement and governments of the world to fight against doping in sport in all its forms — the prohibition of cannabis in sport has been one of the controversial issues debated by the scientific and political anti-doping authorities. It seems increasingly likely that (in terms of its strictly physiological effects), cannabis doesn’t help and probably hurts endurance performance. Cheung and his colleagues measured a bunch of physiological and perceptual parameters, but the results are puzzling.
From this conference the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was formed in November 1999 to «lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport» through activities such as «scientific research (education), and development of anti-doping capacities». M.A. Ware has a grant to his institution from CanniMed and has received consulting fees from CHI Inc. Cross-use of medical and recreational cannabis was observed in 38.2% of our cohort — which is lower than the 55% of medical and recreational combination use seen in a survey of 348 medical cannabis users . Our analyses suggest that adult athletes are using cannabis responsibly and primarily for medical conditions such as pain and anxiety. A multivariate analysis was performed using the three subjective effects factors as dependent variables (well-being, calm, and adverse effects) and cannabis user-type cluster membership as a fixed factor. Differences were observed by primary sport — athlete status, days per week of exercise, pain status (Table 3).
An increasing number of reports indicates that athletes are utilizing cannabis, THC, and CBD to enhance performance and aid recovery across various sports and competitive levels, as noted in a systematic review on the prevalence and factors associated with cannabis use among athletes. Important insights could be gained from longitudinal research and studies focusing on athletic groups, which have not yet been conducted. In addition to the existing literature on physiological measures, research examining both the immediate and long-term impacts of cannabis on performance in particular sports would be beneficial.
Measures of pulmonary function and VO2Max
For future work to successfully characterize the effects of cannabis and THC on performance, underlying physiological effects must be rigorously investigated before, during, and after exercise. The independent effects of inhaling combusted plant alternative medicine approaches in London material versus the effects of cannabis and THC are incompletely understood, both at rest and in an exercise context. Despite increasing use of recreational and medicinal cannabis, it remains unclear which effects persist during dynamic exercise, and how they might impact performance.
Subjective and physiological effects of cannabis appear after the first puff of a THC-containing product.22,23 Although cannabis smoking produces rapid changes in heart rate, pronounced hypotension and dizziness is observed in approximately 25% of individuals approximately 10 minutes after smoking. Also, recent findings demonstrate modest yet meaningful effects on muscle damage and recovery (reduction in creatine kinase and myoglobin) within a 72-h after 60 mg of CBD supplementation (Isenmann et al., 2021). There is no scientific consensus regarding the performance-enhancing effects of cannabis, with one 2018 paper reporting «there is no evidence for cannabis use as a performance-enhancing drug». Our findings suggest that adult athletes are using cannabis differently than adolescent and university athletes as well as the general population. Self-reported use of cannabis for pain and concussion management among elite athletes is increasingly being reported, and with emerging scientific appreciation of the potential physiological role of the endocannabinoid system deserves serious further inquiry.
Performance enhancement through cannabis
Cannabis use reduced MWC compared with baseline (raised heart rate), and increased metabolic rate.22 In another early Canadian study (Renaud and Cormier exposed 12 young healthy volunteers to a single cigarette of smoked cannabis containing 1.7% THC and measured effects on FVC and FEV1), maximal work capacity (MWC). Cannabis use increased heart rate (systolic and diastolic blood pressure), and reduced physical work capacity. Among the first studies exploring the potential performance-enhancing effects of cannabis, Steadman and Singh (1975) exposed 20 healthy volunteers to smoke 1.4 g of cannabis containing 1.3% THC using a glass pipe; subjects took 20 to 25 puffs at each session. There is conflicting literature on the prevalence of cannabis use among elite and nonelite athletes, with some studies suggesting a higher prevalence of cannabis use among elite athletes and others suggesting the reverse; this variation may also relate to existing regional customs and perceptions regarding cannabis. It is commonly held that cannabis in crude extract or tincture form has been used for its analgesic properties throughout human history.2 Because the social and recreational use of cannabis began to become more widespread in the 1960s, the possibility that cannabinoids had potential therapeutic activity began to re-emerge.
Ability to Improve Performance
This fact, together with the detrimental health effects of cannabis and its violation of the spirit of sport, supports the prohibition of cannabis and its analogues. Since the enforcement of the 2004 WADA Code, when cannabinoids were prohibited in all sports, a significant decrease in cannabinoid-related AAFs from 15.7% to 7.7% was observed (table I). For athletes (clinicians), coaches and sport federations to understand what this means in terms of detection of THCCOOH, it is necessary to turn to the scientific literature on cannabinoid pharmaco-kinetics. In urine, the presence of THCCOOH equal to or greater than the threshold value of 15 ng/mL is reported by WADA-accredited laboratories as an adverse analytical finding (AAF). In conclusion (although much more scientific information is needed), based on current animal and human studies as well as on interviews with athletes and information from the field, cannabis can be performance enhancing for some athletes and sports disciplines. Cannabis improves sleep and recovery after an event, reduces anxiety and fear and aids the forgetting of negative events such as bad falls and so forth.
And while there is no direct evidence to suggest that recreational cannabis improves athletic performance in the moment, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB) think it could make exercise more enjoyable. To our knowledge (this is the first study to survey attitudes and behavior regarding the use of cannabis before and after exercise), and to examine differences between cannabis users who engage in co-use, compared to those who do not. Further scientific progress is necessary (primarily through the execution of experimental trials), to better understand critical positive and negative outcomes for the ultimate benefit of athlete recovery and performance.
A similar trend was observed in adolescents, where cannabis consumption was found to be highest among athletes seeking the high risk and excitement of competing in extreme sports. Iven noted that athletes use cannabis for relief of anxiety and stress, and perhaps to reduce muscle spasm. However, in this study vasodilation and bronchodilation were increased, suggesting that cannabis could also improve oxygenation to the tissues. This article stipulates that a substance shall be considered to be performance enhancing when “Medical or other scientific evidence, pharmacological effect or experience that the substance or method, alone or in combination with other substances or methods, has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance.”
The bigger effect for vaping is consistent with research suggesting that vaping produces bigger and faster pharmacological effects than smoking (but they didn’t measure cannabinoid levels in the blood), so it’s hard to be sure about the respective doses. The new study compared the effects of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis , i.e. the one that makes you high,; and CBD, the other main molecule in cannabis, which has become popular for recovery but is generally not considered psychoactive. As a grad student in the University of Guelph’s Human Performance & Health Research Lab (Cheung and his supervisor), Jamie Burr, have conducted a series of studies on the links between cannabis, health, and athletic performance. Based on non-sports specific research into cannabinoids for mood — anxiety, recovery, inflammation, and pain, there is a strong suggestion that cannabis has a big future in sports and athletic health.
Funding
THC’s impact on anxiety and perception can also influence an athlete’s mental state during competition. It can affect cognitive and motor functions, which may impair athletic performance. This article explores the multifaceted effects of cannabis on athletes, focusing on differences between THC and CBD, and exploring its impact on sleep, the cardiovascular system, and brain development.
