Is Marijuana Anti-Anabolic?

Alpha Dog

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There has been continued debate regarding marijuana’s effect on testosterone and cortisol levels. I am by no means a marijuana aficionado, but a close friend of mine (and a contributor here at AM) insists that its appetite stimulating effects outweigh any decreased hormonal effects when trying to gain muscle. He refers to weed as “smoke and grow.” This has been a continuing debate between the two of us. It got me thinking, so I figured I would do some research. I ran a search on pubmed under the keywords “marijuana” and “testosterone.” I will attach the relevant studies. I was surprised at the results.

From Study One:
“Chronic marijuana use showed no significant effect on hormone concentrations in either men or women”

From Study Two:
“Plasma LH was significantly depressed and cortisol was significantly elevated after smoking marijuana. Nonsignificant depressions of prolactin, FSH, testosterone and free testosterone and elevation of GH also occurred…. all the hormone effects were within normal basal ranges”

From Study Three:
“A reanalysis of existing data established that testosterone levels are depressed both after smoking one marijuana cigarette and after intravenous infusion of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol…”

From Study Four:
“No significant relationships were found between antecedent or concurrent marihuana smoking and integrated plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels”

From Study Five:
“All values were within the range of normal …. These data suggest that the casual marijuana smoker may have plasma testosterone levels which are normal for the time of day and the laboratory”


The only study I could find that definitively stated that marijuana lowered test levels (Study Three) gives no details as to how much, how the data was collected, etc. It looks like marijuana may indeed increase cortisol, but it is very debatable from the research as to whether or not it decreases testosterone. So, given its appetite stimulating effects, is marijuana all that anti-anabolic?
 
Alpha Dog

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Study One

Effects of chronic marijuana use on testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin and cortisol in men and women.

Block RI, Farinpour R, Schlechte JA.

Department of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.

To investigate possible effects of chronic marijuana use on reproductive and stress hormones, we assayed testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, and cortisol in 93 men and 56 women with a mean (+/- S.E.) age of 23.5 +/- 0.4 years. Hormone values were compared among groups of subjects stratified according to frequency of marijuana use (frequent, moderate and infrequent; N = 27, 18, and 30, respectively) and non-using controls (N = 74). Chronic marijuana use showed no significant effect on hormone concentrations in either men or women.
 
Alpha Dog

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Study Two

Acute effects of smoking marijuana on hormones, subjective effects and performance in male human subjects.

Cone EJ, Johnson RE, Moore JD, Roache JD.

Four healthy male subjects smoked two marijuana cigarettes or one marijuana cigarette and one placebo cigarette, or two placebo cigarettes on separate days in a random order crossover design. Each marijuana cigarette contained 2.8% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Plasma hormones and THC were measured before and after each smoking session. Plasma LH was significantly depressed and cortisol was significantly elevated after smoking marijuana. Nonsignificant depressions of prolactin, FSH, testosterone and free testosterone and elevation of GH also occurred. Concurrent measures of subjective effects via subscales of the Addiction Research Center Inventory, Single Dose Questionnaire and a Visual Analog Scale were generally elevated. Significant impairment on a psychomotor performance task paralleled elevations in subjective effects, hormone effects and peak THC determinations. Although all the hormone effects were within normal basal ranges, interactions between these systems, and their effects on behavior cannot be discounted.
 
Alpha Dog

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Study Three

Effects of marijuana on testosterone in male subjects.

Barnett G, Chiang CW, Licko V.

Clinical studies have given contradictory reports on the effect of smoking marijuana on the plasma levels of testosterone in males. A reanalysis of existing data established that testosterone levels are depressed both after smoking one marijuana cigarette and after intravenous infusion of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a pharmacologically active component of marijuana. Simulation of the marijuana interaction, under the assumption that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits testosterone production or secretion, suggests a minimum of 24 hours are required for testosterone to return to pre-smoking levels. A series of clinical studies are specified to clarify the nature of the interaction.
 
Alpha Dog

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Study Four

Effects of chronic marihuana use on integrated plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels.

Mendelson JH, Ellingboe J, Kuehnle JC, Mello NK.

Integrated plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were determined for 13 healthy adult males before, during and after a 21-day period of marihuana use. No significant relationships were found between antecedent or concurrent marihuana smoking and integrated plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels. All values for all subjects obtained during the entire study were within normal limits for healthy adult males.
 
Alpha Dog

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Study Five

Plasma testosterone levels in healthy male marijuana smokers.

Cushman P Jr.

Plasma testosterone, FSH, and LH levels were obtained from 25 healthy consecutive heterosexual male mauijuana smoking university students. All values were within the range of normal and the means did not differ significantly from those of 13 normal controls. These data suggest that the casual marijuana smoker (at least one time weekly with an average of 5.1 joints per week) may have plasma testosterone levels which are normal for the time of day and the laboratory.
 

jweave23

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I've posted about this over at BB.com in the misc section (I'll look up threads later), but basically the conclusions have always been the same: there isn't a major impact on hormone levels at all. Basically the only argument I've seen that could be won as far as physical effects are is carcinogenic effects of smoke inhalation and possible lethargy while high.

I'll say this: IMHO I do not see anything wrong with smoking pot and BB'ing, as long as it's done responsibly. By that I mean I never lift high, and if you can't control your appetite, that is more of a willpower issue to me, there is personal repsonsibility here just as with everything. That said I only smoke at night before I go to bed, or when I've been as productive as I need to be for the day, and for me it's probably monthly.

I'm sure I will take heat for this, as everyone who defends marijuana's seemingly nonthreatening physical effects will. That's fine with me, as long as people realize that many of their opinions are nothing more than a reflection of their own morality, values, and self control (or lack thereof in many cases, lol).
 

msclbldrguy

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I've posted about this over at BB.com in the misc section (I'll look up threads later), but basically the conclusions have always been the same: there isn't a major impact on hormone levels at all. Basically the only argument I've seen that could be won as far as physical effects are is carcinogenic effects of smoke inhalation and possible lethargy while high.

I'll say this: IMHO I do not see anything wrong with smoking pot and BB'ing, as long as it's done responsibly. By that I mean I never lift high, and if you can't control your appetite, that is more of a willpower issue to me, there is personal repsonsibility here just as with everything. That said I only smoke at night before I go to bed, or when I've been as productive as I need to be for the day, and for me it's probably monthly.

I'm sure I will take heat for this, as everyone who defends marijuana's seemingly nonthreatening physical effects will. That's fine with me, as long as people realize that many of their opinions are nothing more than a reflection of their own morality, values, and self control (or lack thereof in many cases, lol).
bro, we part company on this one. tru enuf these studies suggest no significant affect on hormone levels, but i still think anything that carries with it this much potential for destruction should be avoided, imo. at times i have alot of trouble controlling my appetite...i do but sometimes esp when really down its a real struggle...dont need anything to make it worse. no heat...just mho.
 

quasar

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I think the better part of the NBA smokes and it doesn't seem to impact their performances any. Then there's also the snowboarders and surfers who won't participate unless high, remember the Olympic committee taking away the medal from the Canadian snowboarder b/c he failed the drug test for MJ?
On a personal note, cardio while high rocks! I mean, you're just gonna be in one spot doing some boring aerobic exercise, watching tv, why not get some mental stimulation while you're doing it? (plus it feels like less exertion)
 
ManBeast

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failing a drug test for marijuana means you smoked within the last few weeks for sure, to the best of my knowledge, they can't "back out" the date you smoked last, but the detection time for marijuana is a lot longer than most other "recreational" drugs, and even alcohol is out a LOT faster.

ManBeast
 

dieseldude

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Weave is a pot-head, Weave is a pot-head J/K

Posted by Weave
That's fine with me, as long as people realize that many of their opinions are nothing more than a reflection of their own morality, values, and self control (or lack thereof in many cases, lol).
Well put Porkchop, im with you on this one.

Nothing wrong with a little smoke and SNL on Saturday nights!:eek:
 

mcQ

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Bump Diesel. All things being equal, do the research - what is worse for you - the occasional hootie vs. tobacco vs. alcohol? And to put this back on the track Bow initiated - is marijuana detrimental to BB-ing? For a championship/competition level individual - maybe, probably. For the rest of us who want to look and feel great, impress our chicks, etc - anything that is going to help me (probably the ultimate ecto of all time :)) eat more is a plus. You don't see heavy marijuana users bashing on AAS or PH users, right? To reference Weave's statement regarding morals, values, and self control, these are all personal traits. Everyone knows the stoner who sits around, gets high, and collects the unemployment check, just as everyone knows the closet smoker who is at the gym 5 nights a week working his ass off, getting bigger, stronger, and smarter.
 

Scottyo

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NO.....nothing else really needs to be said. Only major problem I can ever see with weed is either doing something real stupid when really stoned (still your stupid fault), or placing too much emphasis on enjoying the drug rather than living your life. Hell if Cutler and the rest can hit the whole alphabet of rec drugs, and IV fluids back into their system...I think a little ganja is no big deal. Now where is that bowl :D
 

BigPoppaThrilla

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here i got it, will pass it along in a sec hehe
 

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