Study: Cannabis use boosts runners' sense of euphoria

According to data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, cannabis use before a run is associated with a greater sense of pleasure and tranquility.

The «runner’s high»

Study participants ran just over 6 kilometers and reported a «more positive exercise experience» when they ran immediately after using cannabis, compared to those who had not used it.

The authors reported : «Participants reported experiencing more positive emotions, pleasure, calmness, and symptoms of runner’s high (e.g., euphoria, lack of effort) when running after consuming cannabis ad libitum (as needed). These findings are consistent with previous cross-sectional studies suggesting that cannabis use during physical exercise may increase the enjoyment of running.»

They concluded: «Since feelings of positive affect, dissociation, and pleasure during exercise are positively associated with an individual’s ability to start and maintain a regular exercise regimen, it is possible that cannabis use may actually facilitate motivation and commitment to exercise among some cannabis users. These findings may explain, in part, why cannabis users are more likely to meet the minimum physical activity guidelines and to have a lower body mass index, and why cannabis users who use cannabis while exercising, on average, exercise more than users who do not engage in this behavior.»

Data published in 2022 by researchers at the Wayne State University strongly suggest that the Endocannabinoids are responsible for the experience known as the «runner’s high.».

«Physical exercise reliably increases endocannabinoid levels in the body [and] […] studies in humans and animal models suggest that endocannabinoids—not endorphins—are the primary drivers of the »runner’s high,””, written Hilary A. Marusak, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the university. «This natural chemical stimulation may better explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain and body.”.

Several previous studies have highlighted the relationship between the consumption of cannabis and increased physical activity among young people and the elderly.