Can Cannabis Help with Weight Loss and Exercise?

by | Jan 9, 2024 | A High Class Blog, Research Studies

We’re breaking down stereotypes today! You know, the typical stoner who chills out on the couch until they get the munchies and raid the kitchen? Keep reading to find out how preliminary research is showing cannabis may be helping some people with their New Year’s health resolutions. 

Before you get too excited thinking cannabis is the new magic bullet for achieving your health goals, keep in mind as you read this article:

  1. Most of the studies are anecdotal, which means they use participants’ personal feelings and experiences. (Many scientific folks criticize this type of study.)
  2. None of the studies showed that cannabis improves the effectiveness of a workout. That is, so far, the research says cannabis is not a workout enhancement drug.
  3. Dosage is key. With most psychoactive drugs, too much may result in the opposite of the desired experience.
  4. Always consult your doctor before trying anything new that may affect your health, and always use cannabis with caution.
  5. Consuming cannabis is an extremely personal experience. You must always honour your own unique biological relationship with cannabis.

Cannabis and Exercise

Did you know there are cannabis exercise classes? Joel Stein from The Hollywood Reporter shared his candid and honest experience of a Stoned and Toned workout last year. It’s worth the read!

The Journal of Cannabis Research published the results of one online survey asking participants (18-55 years of age) about their use of cannabis with exercise. Nearly 60 forms of exercise were reported! The top 3 are hiking (60%), yoga (58%), and aerobic machines (50%).

Participants reasons for using cannabis prior to exercise:

  • “Helping to focus/concentrate” (66%)
  • “Helping to enjoy the exercise experience” (65%)
  • “Enhancing the mind-body-spirit connection” (65%)

33 participants in this study reported “yes” or “maybe” to having an experience they “didn’t anticipate or desire while exercising under the influence of cannabis.”

In a study conducted by the University of Colorado and published by Sports Medicine, results showed that “using marijuana before working out can enhance enjoyment and ‘runners high’ but also cause more exertion.” (This article on MarijuanaMoment.net goes into details of the study, how it was performed, and its results.)

Some interesting findings from this particular study:

  • Results held true for both CBD and THC products. However, participants who used CBD reported greater enjoyment and less exertion during exercise compared to the non-cannabis group.
  • Participants said cannabis helped “increase their enjoyment of exercise” (90.5%),
  • “reduced their pain/discomfort levels during exercise” (69%),
  • “improved their ability to focus during exercise” (59.5%), and
  • “increased their motivation to exercise” (57.1%).

Read How to Safely Exercise While High, According to Medical Cannabis Doctors (2021) reported in Business Insider.com and Here’s Why Working Out While High Is Probably a Bad Idea published by HealthLine.com.

Cannabis and Weight Loss

This is an intriguing connection that has researchers scratching their heads! Could cannabis be some sort of weight modulator?

Research shows that cannabis users generally have a lower body mass than non-users. On the other hand, cannabis can also help under-weight people gain weight, but it doesn’t cause weight gain in normal or overweight folks. In other words, cannabis appears to help weight gain in those who need it (like cancer and AIDS patients) and help weight loss in those who need to shed pounds.

Huh, right?!  Why Does Marijuana Make You Lose Weight? (CannaMD.com, Oct., 2023) is an important read as it thoroughly discusses the research results, including the health costs, and theories to explain the phenomenon. Another great read on HealthLine.com, Does Smoking Weed Really Make You Lose Weight? also covers this confusing connection between cannabis and weight loss.

Here are a few more articles to check out:

THCV: appetite suppressant cannabinoid?

Check out THCV: Enhance Your High and Lose Weight 2023 sponsored article on HighTimes.com for the scoop on how THCV may reduce hunger.

High Class has a few products with THCV if you or someone you know is interested in trying it out for yourselves, like Guava Lime Go Tlme 1:1 THC:THCV soft chews.

This is just the beginning of the research, friends. Now that cannabis is legal, more studies will follow. 

What are your thoughts on this article? Do you combine cannabis and exercise, and why do you do it? Do you plan to use cannabis to attain your 2024 goals? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!