[cgb223]

I wish they would’ve focused a bit more on how it impacts athletic performance

As a runner, I would imagine anything that brings smoke into your lungs (assuming that’s how it’s ingested) would make them less efficient at gas exchange and consequently any aerobic exercise like running

Nothing against the stuff, just guessing it impacts performance

[gtvwill]

It's a bit of a weird double edged sword. Cannabis can act as a bronchodilator and relax the airways which can help breathing. But on the other side ingesting via vape or smoke and it can act as an irritant at the same time making you cough.[0]

On the other end of performance things, I do wonder if when doing stuff while under influence of cannabis since it can seem more exhausting/labor intensive for some users. Does this mental state of things being harder during exercise have an effect on the exercises effectiveness?

E.g. Do same distance run whilst stoned vs not. It's going to probably feel a lot harder when your high. Does this mean it would be the equivalent of doing a longer but just as exhaustive run when not stoned? Can we make shorter exercise sessions more effective by making them feel harder to a user because they are stoned?

[0]https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/cannabis-marijuana-use...

[mirin_pta]

curiously, on top of all of this, as someone who regularly takes cannabinoids while running long distances, I have to say that it absolutely impacts my performance (and those I know who do) positively.

My uptake method is usually through either THC infused sports drinks or supplements, so that might be behind why I get the positive effects without the negative ones, and while the science isn't there (yet, for some reason), I can only conjecture that it would argue microdosing would have a positive effect.

[wyre]

Certainly. TFA states the cannabis users experiences more exertion, while also contributing to more positive effect, enjoyment, and runner's high. Sure, if you took two identical runners the non-smoker would run faster/longer, but there is no such thing as two identical runners and the effects of smoking would be negligible compared to other factors such as sleep, diet, training, and recovery. If smoking cannabis can significantly improve any or all of those factors for the athlete their performance will be better overall than the benefits that not smoking grants.