Weed and Bodybuilding

The following article takes a look at Weed and Bodybuilding. 

We will look at its effect on Bodybuilding/Muscle Growth, Testosterone, Appetite,  Performance, and Inflammation.

Cannabis - Marijuana - Weed

The humble cannabis plant is garnering the lion's share of attention in health and fitness circles now more than ever thanks to the increasing interest in all things CBD as well as the growing popularity and legalization of marijuana.

The plant has been inextricably linked to the bodybuilding culture for decades.  With the most defining image as that of the great Arnold Schwarzenegger puffing on a joint following his sixth Mr. Olympia victory.

This has led many lifters to wonder if marijuana, and/or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol -- the psychoactive compound in weed), is helpful or harmful to their bodybuilding goals.

So on to the discussion of Weed and Bodybuilding.

The Effects of THC and CBD on Bodybuilding

Both THC and CBD (cannabidiol) affect the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system is a biological system that affects appetite, immune functions, sleep, pain sensation, temperature regulation, and many other processes in the body.

In fact, both fat and muscle tissues utilize these receptors to varying degrees. ^{[1] [2]}

Now, before we get into the specific effects of THC on muscle growth, it bears mentioning that there’s not a wealth of information on the subject matter.

The number of human studies investigating the effects of marijuana on muscle growth is sparse, but there is some insight to be gleaned from the available body of literature.

Let’s start by discussing marijuana’s impact on the hormone most often associated with muscle growth - Testosterone.

Weed and Testosterone

To date, there have been several trials investigating the effects of THC on T-production in humans and the results are mixed.

In persons not accustomed to smoking weed, marijuana usage does lead to a slight, temporary decrease in testosterone production levels.

However, in regular tokers, weed seems to have little-to-no impact on testosterone levels.^{[3] [4]} But, it should be noted that if you do take a ride with Mary Jane your sperm quantity and quality may take a significant hit.

Weed and Appetite

As we mentioned, the CB1 receptors of the endocannabinoid system play a role in appetite regulation.

The two primary cannabinoids of marijuana (THC and CBD) interact with the cannabinoid receptors, an acutely increasing appetite.

If you’re looking to pack on mass, this may be beneficial, as it could help you get in those all-too-important muscle-building calories. Especially, if you’re someone who struggles with a poor appetite.

Obviously, this is only beneficial if the munchies you get lead you to eat foods that are in line with your nutrition plan.  Munching on; pizza, ice cream, high-fat, high-carb, and low-protein foods will certainly short-circuit your progress.

There’s also something else to consider -- while marijuana usage in the short-term acutely spikes appetite, chronic use may actually decrease appetite.

Animal studies and epidemiological research has noted that prolonged use of marijuana may cause a decrease in appetite.

Researchers believe this may be due to the downregulation of CB1 receptor activity over time with continued cannabis use.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that some inflammation is needed for muscle growth to take place.

Therefore, if hypertrophy (muscle growth) is your main goal, you may not want to smoke any weed immediately following your training session as the anti-inflammatory effects of ganja could conflict with the necessary immune response following resistance training needed to drive hypertrophy.

Weed and Performance

So are you someone looking to experiment with Weed for Bodybuilding? Well, the one time you really don’t want to use it is immediately prior to your training session.

The reason for this is that cannabis negatively impacts performance through a variety of mechanisms, including: ^[6]

• Reduced concentration
• Decreased reaction time
• Impaired hand-eye coordination
• Lowers exercise capacity and stamina

A recent literature review on the effects of cannabis and athletes noted the plant offers no performance benefits.^[5]

So, while it may help you feel less achy in the days after your training session, it’s not advised to take it immediately prior to or immediately following exercise.

Finally, there hasn’t been much research done to investigate the effects of marijuana directly on muscle protein synthesis in humans. Although, some animal studies indicate that chronic use of marijuana may disrupt mTOR signaling. ^[7] And you want mTOR signally to be as optimal as possible for muscle building.

Weed and Inflammation

There’s a lot of talk regarding inflammation these days. Especially with regard to pain and chronic disease.

And while we might be led to believe that any type of inflammation is bad, the truth is that inflammation is needed for muscle growth.

Inflammation becomes a concern when we’re chronically inflamed and the body never has a chance to return to normal homeostasis.

As we have already seen THC and CBD stimulate the endocannabinoid system.  This system is intimately tied to the immune system and the body's inflammatory response.  So we can conclude that marijuana usage may help to reduce inflammation caused by resistance training. 

Reduced inflammation = Fewer Aches and Pains. Certainly a plus for weed and bodybuilding.

So if you’re someone who regularly pushes the envelope and tends to experience symptoms of overtraining, marijuana may help you to recover a bit quicker.

The Bottom Line on Weed and Bodybuilding

At the end of the day, more research is needed to understand the true effects THC and Marijuana as a whole have on bodybuilding.

What we know is it reduces performance and inflammation in the short term, which means you won’t want to use it in the hours immediately surrounding your workout.

However, taking it at other points of the day may help you relax and reduce cortisol levels. As well as, potentially help you eat more “good calories”.  With that, it could support the muscle growth and recovery processes.

Having said that, until more research is done, we’re mostly left to speculate on the insights from the current body of literature.

References