Marijuana in Bodybuilding?
Pumping Iron is one of the best documentaries with numerous great moments. Besides the great moments in this documentary, it contains various marijuana and bodybuilding scenes. In one of the scenes, you can see Arnold Schwarzenegger (a legendary action movie actor) enjoying marijuana. The legendary actor ay using smoking a marijuana joint while celebrating winning Mr. Olympia in 1975. Given that one of the greatest was enjoying smoking marijuana, does it mean there is an association between consuming marijuana and bodybuilding?
Besides the marijuana smoking event, some eagle-eyed movie enthusiasts noticed something unique. Arnold Schwarzenegger was using or smoking an expertly rolled marijuana joint. Its true marijuana consumption has a greater association with bodybuilding; even some renowned individuals, including Arnold, have done it for several decades.
Read through this article to get an insight into whether marijuana can help or hinder your bodybuilding journey. Furthermore, you’ll learn whether using marijuana is legal in this industry. Many individuals know bodybuilding as one of the most notorious drug and substance abuse industries.
Does Marijuana Consumption Affect Bodybuilding?
Marijuana has effectively enhanced numerous body processes, including impacting bodybuilding. Marijuana comes with various cannabinoids, where CBD and THC are the most popular. CBD and THC impact the body processes by affecting the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Studies show that the ECS is a vital biological system in the body. This system is vital in the regulation of various processes in the body, including pain, appetite, sleep, immune system, etc. Researchers believe that the body fat and muscle tissues may use these receptors to certain levels.
When looking to build muscles, it’ll be wise to understand the relationship between cannabis use and bodybuilding. We’ve got some evidence that marijuana use can enhance your bodybuilding journey. This article dives deeper into the link between marijuana usage and bodybuilding. Nevertheless, before understanding the relationship, below is a quick overview of some relevant considerations:
Testosterone
Studies have revealed an undeniable relationship between robust muscle growth and high levels of testosterone production. Despite the relation, many individuals have been asking if marijuana use can harm or help testosterone levels.
Appetite
When looking to build muscles and get huge, it may become difficult to gulp down your body’s requisite calories. Thus, searching for an appropriate option for your needs will be vital. Getting proper marijuana strains to give you munchies will be vital. The strain will help you solve the problem that comes with solving the calorie increase issues.
Recovery
Recovery is an essential process in your muscle-building journey. It’ll be important to allow your muscles to recover after ripping their fibers during the intense workouts. Experts reveal that you can’t achieve adequate muscle growth without enough rest and recovery. With its relaxation and calming effects, weed can help bodybuilders in the recovery process.
Relaxation
Experts reveal that enjoying your joints while relaxing will be vital for your muscle-building journey. Like in the documentary, Arnold shows how enjoying your joint while relaxing feels good. Enjoying your marijuana while relaxing is vital to letting your mental and physical load off. Nevertheless, relaxing too much may reduce the appropriate focus vital to competing for your workouts and achieving your goals.
Despite the strong link between marijuana and bodybuilding, it looks like it’s a bad idea to enjoy your marijuana before or while training. But what about enjoying the marijuana joint while relaxing or kicking back?
How Does Marijuana Use Affect Bodybuilding?
Experts reveal that it’ll be good to start your marijuana use associated with the body by understanding the impact cannabis has on your testosterone production and level. Testosterone is a primary hormone that plays a key role in gaining higher muscle mass.
Remember, having a learner's body mass helps to increase energy and allows you to control your weight easily. Some studies reveal that having a T-treatment or procedures will help increase your muscle strength and size. Besides having a positive effect on your muscle, the treatment will also help decrease your fat mass. Having a reasonable degree or amount of Testosterone hormone has numerous benefits. These benefits include
● Improved libido
● Better moods
● Stronger bones
● Increased mathematical reasoning, spatial abilities, or verbal memory
● healthy cardiovascular and circulatory system
With these vital benefits in muscle growth and building, it’ll be vital to learn about the impacts of marijuana on your T-levels. If marijuana affects testosterone levels, it’s evident that it may impact your bodybuilding goals. With the numerous restrictions, there have been limited studies or trials showing the effects of THC on testosterone levels. Thus, there is no consensus on the issue with limited studies and different results.
For instance, if you’ve not been consuming Mary Jane, using marijuana products might lead to a temporal reduction in testosterone production and levels. Studies show that THC may not have any effect on the level of regular users. In 1991, Block et al. conducted one of the earliest studies on the effect of marijuana use on testosterone and published the findings in a journal called ‘Drug and Alcohol Dependency.’ The finding revealed that chronic use of cannabis products didn’t have any effect on the testosterone concentration and level in the female and male volunteers.
Fantus et al., in February 2020, also carried out another study on the same subject and published the results in the journal 'World Journal of Urology. The findings brought good news, THC use was responsible for increasing testosterone in small amounts. However, testosterone production decreases as the users increase their THC consumption.
It’s evident that the testosterone levels were higher when users were taking any regular amount of THC in the marijuana products compared to non-users. The findings reveal that it’ll be wise to smoke or consume low to moderate marijuana quantities if you want to increase your testosterone hormone levels.
Other Considerations
Experts advise that you consider various other factors when looking at the association between bodybuilding and marijuana use. Below are some of the factors you must consider:
Appetite
Eating the right calories and meals is important when you’re looking to build and pile your muscles. Some individuals find it hard to eat and gorge on food during this time. Experts reveal that marijuana might be the best solution if you've a bad appetite and find it hard to gorge on food and drinks.
The endocannabinoid system has receptors (CB1 receptors) that help to regulate your appetite. While marijuana helps to enhance your appetite, it'll be wise to avoid the temptation of eating unhealthy or junk foods. Many individuals have found it hard to avoid junk foods after taking marijuana. The best way to keep off unhealthy junk food is by replacing these foods in the cupboards and fridge with bodybuilding-friendly and healthy foods.
Despite helping to increase your munchies, chronic and prolonged marijuana use might affect your appetite. Studies show that chronic use of marijuana may decrease your appetite. The reduced appetite results as there is a downregulation or reduction of the CB1 receptor activity. Constant marijuana use may reduce these activities, which include receptor binding.
Inflammation
Studies show that inflammation is a vital process or state in the weightlifting journey. The body and tissue require inflammation to stimulate muscle tearing and growth. Despite the benefits inflammation offers, it may become a concern at one point. Chronic inflammation may not be beneficial in your bodybuilding process.
Chronic inflammation causes results in an imbalanced body homeostasis. In this state, the body finds it hard to get back to the balanced or restored state. Studies show that ECS is integral to the body's inflammatory responses. With the RCS receptors binding with the cannabinoids, taking marijuana can stimulate it. Thus smoking cannabis can help to reduce the aches and pains that come after an intense workout.
Relaxation
When understanding the relationship between marijuana and bodybuilding, it’ll be wise to check if relaxation is vital or will hurt your performance. Remember consuming marijuana may cause:
● Lower exercise capacity and stamina
● Reduced focus
● Decreased reaction time
● Impaired hand-eye coordination
Nevertheless, these negative effects of marijuana on weightlifting occur if you opt for marijuana use before the workout. Marijuana is usually useful before training if you plan to have a slow and low cardio session. However, you can only take marijuana if you’re sure of completing your bodybuilding session and achieving great results.
In September 2018, Ware et al. conducted a study on the association between taking marijuana & workouts and published the findings in a Journal, ‘Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.’ The findings from this study concluded that taking marijuana didn’t improve workout performance.
Do Bodybuilding Competitions Consider Marijuana Illegal?
Reports show that most bodybuilders consume marijuana to help them achieve their goals. Consumption of marijuana is high, especially for vastly experienced individuals or bodybuilders who have an experience of more than one decade of enduring hard training and workouts.
Unlike alcohol, marijuana is acceptable in the bodybuilding field. This herb has various benefits to help weight lifters build more muscles. It's wise for individuals to understand that taking alcohol doesn't positively impact their bodybuilding journey.
Most individuals in this industry admit to taking a little marijuana before training. Nevertheless, most bodybuilders who smoke marijuana before workouts say it makes them get guessed faster when doing certain exercises, like the bent-over barbell rows.
Studies show that, unlike athletes, most marijuana bodybuilders consider using this drug as their preferred recreational option. Marijuana will be better as a recreational option as it doesn’t have calories. Furthermore, when you consume the drug at appropriate rates, it doesn’t cause any hangover.
The federal government still regards marijuana as an illegal substance. With the federal laws prohibiting the use of marijuana, does bodybuilding competition allow it? Some organizations in the US, such as the IFBB, state that using steroids is illegal, while most of their competitors use them.
Similar to steroids in some organizations, marijuana use is illegal. For instance, the WNBF prohibits using some drugs, like cannabis. Most bodybuilding organizations working under WADA policies will consider marijuana use illegal. Remember, WADA views marijuana as an illegal substance.
Reports show that each bodybuilding organization in this country has numerous prohibited substances. For instance, the WNBF bar bodybuilder uses all other products apart from natural ones. The organization has been using over 7000 urine test findings on the file for the first five months of 2020. Thus, the organization requires participants to keep marijuana for weeks before the competition.
Bottom Line on Cannabis Use and Bodybuilding
Despite the limited studies, there is a huge connection between bodybuilding and marijuana use than what you may be thinking. You may be assuming that when having your bodybuilding circle, you have to stay away from substances that can affect your performance. These thoughts make it hard for you to believe that experienced and hard-training professionals can risk their muscle gains by using substances with a risk of countering their efforts.
With the numerous restrictions, there is limited research on the effect of marijuana on bodybuilding, making it hard to have definite conclusions. Nevertheless, the most interesting fact is that taking small amounts of marijuana can help to boost your testosterone hormone levels. Furthermore, marijuana consumption might stimulate your appetite, allowing you to gain more mass. Despite some smokers preferring it, it’s not good to smoke before your workout session.
The ban on marijuana is the most reputable competition and is unfortunate for bodybuilders who love using Mary Jane or other products. Therefore, if you’re using marijuana, it’ll be vital to avoid competitions like WNBF. Experts reveal that it’s a shame that such reputable bodies are banning marijuana use; it limits all-time greats from enjoying it. One time Arnold said that marijuana is a leaf, not a drug.
Despite the restrictions by some organizations or agencies, marijuana is still vital to enhance your bodybuilding goals. Getting online medical card 420 evaluations at our website will allow you to get an MMJ card. The Medical marijuana card will help you access these products legally and easily. Schedule your use to start obtaining marijuana products legally and enhance your muscle-building goals.
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