Study Finds Link Between Cannabis Use, Greater Physical Activity in HIV+ Patients

Marijuana use is associated with increased physical activity in people living with HIV. According to a study published last month.

The findings, by a team of researchers from Brown University, Boston University, and the University of Minnesota, show that “those who reported consuming cannabis were significantly more likely to be physically active than those who did not.” I was. NORML Research Overview,It was published in the magazine AIDS care.

“Chronic pain, depression and substance use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). Physical activity can improve pain and mental health. The substance may relieve pain and allow PLWHs to participate in more physical activity,” the authors wrote in their abstract. “However, risks of drug use include worsening mental health and clinical outcomes for HIV.”

They concluded that “cross-sectional analyzes examined the relationships between self-reported substance use (alcohol, cannabis, nicotine use), sex, and age, and self-reported walking, moderate physical activity, and vigorous physical activity. Study, task-unit metabolic equivalent (MET) in 187 adults living with HIV, chronic pain, and depressive symptoms in the United States.

According to NORMLthe authors stated that “the estimated mean rate of active METs is [Metabolic Equivalent of Task Units] … those who used cannabis were 6.25 times more likely than those who did not. ”

“Women reported less walking, less vigorous activity, and less overall physical activity compared to men. reported moderate physical activity.” the researcher wrote“These findings were explained in part by substance use* and gender interactions. women who used alcohol reported walking less than men who used alcohol and men who did not. Studies are needed to assess the reasons for this relationship.”

research reverberates Previous findings We also showed an association between cannabis use and increased physical activity.A study published last year in a journal preventive medicine “The common perception that marijuana users are predominantly sedentary is not supported by these data for young and middle-aged adults.”

This study “is one of the first to rigorously analyze the relationship between marijuana use and exercise,” the authors said.

“The results show that marijuana use is not significantly associated with exercise, especially in the fixed-effect model, defying the conventional wisdom that marijuana users are less likely to be active. In fact, there is only one significant estimate that suggests a positive relationship, even among heavy users in the last 30 days.These findings suggest a negative relationship between marijuana use and exercise. This contradicts much of the existing literature that generally indicates that as more states legalize the medical and recreational use of marijuana, it is one of the major social determinants of health. The effect on exercise is probably not a major concern,” the authors wrote in their study abstract, published in June 2021.

These authors also noted that “a positive relationship between marijuana use and exercise has also been found in other studies,” including those who reported using cannabis immediately before or after exercise. included one study that showed that individuals who exercised engaged in an average of 43.4 minutes or more of aerobic activity per week.” than those who did not use cannabis immediately before/after exercise.”