As we continue discovering the health benefits of consuming cannabis, the link between vaping and running has emerged as a hot topic among vape users who are into athletic activities. Many fit and active adults are now vaping regularly and still keeping up with their routines.
So, what are the best tips for vaping and running, and what is the impact of vaping on your performance? We’ve put together this essential guide for both seasoned vape users and beginners, so that they can get a clear picture of the link between vaping and running.
Why Vaping is Rising in Popularity
Vaping is trending and quickly becoming popular because of its many benefits. It’s a discreet activity, it’s potent, and it’s healthier than other consumption practices. In fact, many vape consumers switched from smoking to vaping due to the latter’s less harmful effects, as this interesting study shows.
When vaping with a flower vaporizer, you are essentially vaporizing the material to be consumed with a heating element, thereby inhaling as few harmful contaminants as possible. Overall, experts cite that vaporizing is far less harmful than smoking, thereby attracting health-conscious people.
Does Vaping Impact Your Running Performance
To know about the link between vaping and running, first you have to understand how vaping works in your body.
Here’s how it works. When you inhale, oxygen enters your lungs and fills up the air sacs called alveoli.
Around these air sacs are small blood vessels where oxygen enters the bloodstream. This blood circulatory system transports the oxygen throughout the body, including the muscles and organs, which are crucial for running and other athletic activities.
At the same time, carbon dioxide is collected by the blood circulatory system and carried to the lungs, where it is released and exhaled. For this simultaneous process to occur smoothly, your body has to be in optimal condition.
That means, if your lungs are compromised for some reason, be it due to excess vaping or harmful activities, the essential inhalation-and-exhalation cycle could be affected. Your muscles and organs might not receive as much oxygen as they require, resulting in fatigue and reduced stamina.
But that is not to suggest that vaping affects your blood circulatory system and your body. Most vape users, whether they’re into running or not, consume responsibly and enjoy the benefits of vaping.
Vaping and Running: How They Align
As you probably know by now, cannabis has a bunch of health and wellness benefits. How? Cannabis contains a variety of cannabinoids, such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), which interact with receptors found in the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system ultimately regulates and modulates how your body functions to maintain ‘homeostasis’ or stability.
Some crucial benefits of consuming cannabis that align vaping and running include:
- Helping runners stay focused.
- Improve the body’s recovery process with anti-inflammatory uses.
- Increasing comfort levels for running long distances.
Next, let’s explore all of the positive and negative impacts of vaping on running.
Vaping and Running: The Pros
While there’s no conclusive research or study showing vaping might directly benefit running, you’ll come across real examples of vape users saying it might actually help.
What runners and athletes need to note is that vaping may help:
- Increase energy levels.
- Improve their mood and motivate them to focus on running.
- Support their metabolism and weight loss goals.
Vaping and Running: The Cons (You Can Easily Overcome Them!)
There can be some negative effects of vaping on running. Here are a few of the top issues to consider as you seek to find out the link between vaping and running:
- Vaping may cause throat irritation, making it harder to breathe or uncomfortable in general.
- Vaping may cause dehydration, which affects athletic performance.
For both the negatives, just keep in mind you can work around the symptoms by simply increasing your water intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you learn how to vape, and dig deeper to find out how to vape concentrates, questions are bound to come up about vaping and running. So, let’s answer some of the most commonly asked questions on vaping’s effects on athletic performance.
Will vaping cause weight gain?
No, vaping will not make you gain weight. In fact, quitting vaping often makes some users gain weight as they tend to eat more as a replacement activity or habit.
How does vaping affect cardio?
When you choose to vape, you don’t inhale harmful materials such as tar and so on. That means runners and those doing cardio exercises can experience a positive improvement in performance.
How does vaping affect running?
The long-term effects of vaping on running and the lungs have yet to be studied. But, we do know that vaping restricts arteries and reduces the oxygen level in the blood. It may negatively affect a runner’s overall energy levels.
Will it be harder to run if I vape?
Since too much vaping can compromise the overall condition of your lungs, it may make it harder to catch your breath or breathe normally when running. However, there can be benefits of cannabis use for muscle pain and soreness, which can conversely make it easier to run.
How does vaping affect fitness routines?
In general, vaping can affect your heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity, appetite, and nutrition, which all can affect your fitness capabilities.
Bottom Line: Research Well, Vape Responsibly, and Run Hard!
In the end, it’s your decision as a runner or athlete to decide whether you should vape. With this guide, now you know that vaping and running can have a holistic link as you need to factor in the overall benefits of cannabis that you’d get as a runner.
If you’re keen on enhancing your vaping routines for optimal experience, consider upgrading your vaporizer. Check out Firefly, which gives you the ability to smoothly vaporize dry herb in one discreet, convenient device.
