Cannabis and Cardio Is a Weird Trend That Needs a Reality Check

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It might feel like cannabis and cardio will help you do better, but they're actually hurting you. THC speeds up your heart rate by 20 to 50 beats per minute, makes it hard to breathe, and makes it hard to coordinate your movements. It's not like getting high from running; it takes over your receptors and hides how hard you're working.

What THC Does to Your Heart Rate and Lungs During Cardio​

Using THC before exercising causes your heart rate to increase, typically by 20 to 50 beats per minute in a matter of minutes. Your heart health depends on getting enough oxygen to the cells, but THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) can throw off the balance by making your heart work harder without increasing the amount of oxygen it uses.
Not even your lungs are safe. When you smoke cannabis, it releases irritants that can make your airways less effective, which directly hurts your exercise performance during extended cardio. Your body may not be working as well as it should, even if you feel calmer or more focused. When THC is involved, it's not the same thing to actually crush a run as it is to feel like you're crushing it.

Runner's High vs. Cannabis High: Completely Different Mechanisms​

A lot of athletes think that the high they get from cannabis and the joy they feel from a good run are basically the same thing. But the processes that make them happen are very different. Endocannabinoids are chemicals that your body makes naturally when you do long-term aerobic endurance activity. These chemicals bind to the same receptors that THC does, but the situation is very different. Your brain makes this reaction by working hard, not by bringing in chemicals from outside.
THC floods those receptors before your body has earned the neurological reward when you use cannabis before you work out. You're skipping over the adaptive process for the most part. This difference is important for workout success because the amount and length of effort affect natural endocannabinoid release. Because cannabis skips that step, you're not getting a runner's high. You're just hiding how hard you're really working.

How THC Undermines Endurance, Coordination, and Output​

In addition to how it makes you feel, THC has measured effects on your body that make it harder to do long-term activities. When you work out while high on THC, your heart rate goes up more than it should. This means that your cardiovascular system works harder without making more. You're putting in more work to get the same or less effect.
It's also harder to coordinate. Athletic activities like running and cycling require exact motor control, but THC messes up the brain pathways that control that. Your form gets worse, your stride gets shorter, and the chance of getting hurt goes up.
When it comes to physical training, these aren't small problems. They stand in the way of progress. When it comes to fitness, trends don't always last, and this one is no different. During a run, feeling less tight is not the same as actually moving better.

The Cardiac and Overheating Risks of Cannabis Cardio​

The cardiovascular effects of combining weed and cardio are more than just higher heart rates. Taking THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) before doing fitness can make your heart rate go up much more than it would if you were just working out. Having to do two things at once puts stress on your heart, especially if you already have heart problems.
These risks get worse when it gets too hot. Cannabis makes it harder for your body to keep its temperature stable, and intense movement makes you lose water faster. Because THC dulls your sense of pain, you're less likely to notice warning signs like feeling dizzy or tired all the time.
Doing things outside makes everything stronger. Running or cycling in the heat while impaired puts stress on the heart and lungs, makes you less aware of how much water you're drinking, and slows your reactions. These are not small problems. These are conditions that could get worse and become dangerous medical emergencies.

What the Research Actually Says About Cannabis and Cardio​

Scientists haven't found much evidence to support most of the performance claims you'll hear in fitness communities, even though workouts boosted with cannabis are becoming more and more common. If you want to know if cannabis really does improve cardio, the honest answer is no, not nearly as much as you might think. THC makes it harder to coordinate your movements, speeds up your heart rate, and changes how hard you think you're working without actually improving your physical fitness. It's possible to feel great during a long run, but your output may not match your feelings.
CBD has a little more promise for helping athletes heal, especially when it comes to sleep quality and inflammation, but the research is still in its early stages. You might do exercise and cannabis at the same time, but doing them together won't make you faster, stronger, or more efficient. What it will do is add variables that make your training harder without giving you any proven physical benefits.