New Study: Exercise Increases THC Concentrations in Regular Cannabis Consumers
According to a new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, exercise can increase the concentration of THC in the blood of cannabis consumers.
For the study, “cannabis users completed 35 min of exercise on a stationary bicycle in either a fed or overnight fasted state.” Following this, “Plasma cannabinoid levels were assessed prior to exercise, immediately post-exercise and 2 h post-exercise. Plasma samples were also analyzed for indices of lipolysis (free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol).”
According to researchers, exercise led to a “statistically significant increase in plasma THC levels accompanied by increased plasma FFA and glycerol levels.” In addition, researchers found that “Fasting induced a significant increase in plasma FFA levels, and a lowering of blood glucose, but did not significantly alter plasma cannabinoid levels.”
Researchers conclude; “Here we demonstrate that exercise enhances plasma THC levels in regular cannabis users. The lack of a fasting effect may reflect the modest duration of fasting used which was associated with only a modest increase in fat utilization relative to exercise. Overall, these results suggest that exercise may elevate blood THC levels by releasing dormant THC from fat stores. These data suggest the interpretation of blood THC levels in roadside and workplace tests might be complicated by recent exercise.”
The study can be found in its entirety by clicking here.
– TheJointBlog