In the wake of the astounding numbers of UFC fighters testing positive for marijuana metabolites, I found the following information quite relevant. I am currently taking a class in Exercise Physiology at the University of Calgary and my professor brought the following to our attention (mostly for entertainment value and simple point of interest).
Some Background information:
VO2 is the volume of oxygen that one's tissues (i.e. muscle) can consume in exercise. VO2 max, therefore, is the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can consume in incremental (steadily increasing workload) exercise to exhaustion. Simply put, trained individuals have a higher VO2 max than untrained individuals. the following study was completed by Renaud & Cormier (1986), testing the acute response to marijuana in exercise.
The acute response in any situation includes:
Rapid Heart Rate
Bronchodilation (in laymans terms, the lungs "expand")
Increase in limb blood flow
Number of participants = 12 young adults
3 females, 9 males
Testing Protocol: 2 maximal bike tests
1.Maximal test performed 10 min. after smoking marijuana
(7 mg of mari / kg BW)
2. Maximal test on separate day without marijuana smoking
Results:
a) Significant increase in resting Heart Rate
b) Elevated Heart Rate during 80% of exercise
c) Decrease total exercise time – 6.2%
d) No difference in max HR, VO2, or total ventilation
e) At 60 – 80% max workload, Ventialtion and Breathing frequency increased
Conclusion:
Acute marijuana use reduced exercise performance resulting in premature achievement of VO2 max.
Thus, perhaps marijuana use help athletes to "peak" quicker, but it would depend on how soon before competing marijuana was used.
Most athletes self report that they quit weeks before competing but who is to know. Ultimately, research shows that there is no true gains in terms of ability to do work, but rather, athletes will tire quicker.
Credit to Dr. Aaron Tubman, PhD, 1996. University of Calgary
Sourced article: Acute effects of marihuana smoking on maximal exercise performance.
Unfortunately you need private access to read the whole thing, but the abstract is there.
Cheers all.
Some Background information:
VO2 is the volume of oxygen that one's tissues (i.e. muscle) can consume in exercise. VO2 max, therefore, is the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can consume in incremental (steadily increasing workload) exercise to exhaustion. Simply put, trained individuals have a higher VO2 max than untrained individuals. the following study was completed by Renaud & Cormier (1986), testing the acute response to marijuana in exercise.
The acute response in any situation includes:
Rapid Heart Rate
Bronchodilation (in laymans terms, the lungs "expand")
Increase in limb blood flow
Number of participants = 12 young adults
3 females, 9 males
Testing Protocol: 2 maximal bike tests
1.Maximal test performed 10 min. after smoking marijuana
(7 mg of mari / kg BW)
2. Maximal test on separate day without marijuana smoking
Results:
a) Significant increase in resting Heart Rate
b) Elevated Heart Rate during 80% of exercise
c) Decrease total exercise time – 6.2%
d) No difference in max HR, VO2, or total ventilation
e) At 60 – 80% max workload, Ventialtion and Breathing frequency increased
Conclusion:
Acute marijuana use reduced exercise performance resulting in premature achievement of VO2 max.
Thus, perhaps marijuana use help athletes to "peak" quicker, but it would depend on how soon before competing marijuana was used.
Most athletes self report that they quit weeks before competing but who is to know. Ultimately, research shows that there is no true gains in terms of ability to do work, but rather, athletes will tire quicker.
Credit to Dr. Aaron Tubman, PhD, 1996. University of Calgary
Sourced article: Acute effects of marihuana smoking on maximal exercise performance.
Unfortunately you need private access to read the whole thing, but the abstract is there.
Cheers all.
