does Mary J affect muscle growth??

[MMASTAR]

hey, so i like to occasionally smoke a bowl before bed to help me sleep, i find its gets me into a deep sleep much faster as well as make falling asleep easy. I was just curious if this can affect muscle growth?? I would think the extra sleep would help with growth/recovery, but was wondering if it had any negative effects as well?? Any thoughts??

[Ritch]

No it dosen`t. I know lot`s of guys who smoke heavily. The only way weed can harm you is if you let yourself become lazy by sitting on the couch and eating crap. Then for sure your test levels will plummet.

The best pro weed arguments I`ve ever come accross were from professor x on t-nation.

[Talo]

Also it can raise estrogen levels which can cause bitch tits. :)

I would say , yes , it would cause a negative effect in muscle growth. Not sure at what amount.

[Ritch]

Also it can raise estrogen levels which can cause bitch tits. :)

I would say , yes , it would cause a negative effect in muscle growth. Not sure at what amount.

It`s a myth. If it gave gyno, I`d have a set of double D`s...

[L3]

it makes you retain water... fact

[Talo]

It effects people in different ways and just because you smoke that dosent mean that you will but it means it's possible.

So it's not a myth and that is how so guys I know have been able to get Nolvadex prescribed from the dr. If the dr says high levels of estrogen can be caused from smoking dope then I will listen to him.

[Ritch]

I still say myths. The myths you guys here about weed are like the myths people hear about steroids. Most of them aren`t true.

L3... Water retention? C`mon dude. I think it`s in your head. Smoke some different stuff bro, lol...

[natenator]

I still say myths. The myths you guys here about weed are like the myths people hear about steroids. Most of them aren`t true.

L3... Water retention? C`mon dude. I think it`s in your head. Smoke some different stuff bro, lol...
So Ritch, you think smoking weed promotes a healthy choice to people looking to get into and stay in shape/be health conscious?

Don't skirt the question with a long winded retort either. A simple yes or no will suffice.

[Ritch]

I`m not saying it`s healthy. But you can be healthy and in shape if you smoke. Just don`t think it does what you guys are saying.

[guest]

But you can be healthy and in shape if you smoke.

um........

[evoke]

Weed does not affect muscle growth, I think.
Whatever the case, I avoid smoking it, just to be safe. :)

[Ritch]

um........

What I meant by that is that smoking weed does not have health promoting benefits. But just because you smoke, it dosen`t mean you`re unhealthy or can`t be in shape.

[Talo]

But you can be healthy and in shape if you smoke

You really believe this ?

So smoking does not cause cancer ?

[Talo]

Weed does NOT affect cardio; not sure about muscle growth though.
Whatever, I avoid smoking it, just to be safe. :)

If you eat it maybe , but anything you smoke will affect your lungs in a bad way.

[Ritch]

You really believe this ?

So smoking does not cause cancer ?

Cigarettes yes. Weed, I`ve never read about that. Don`t they give weed to cancer patients to help with appetite? I don`t think the cancer argument is valid here.

[Ritch]

If you eat it maybe , but anything you smoke will affect your lungs in a bad way.

That I can agree with. But still although my lungs may be a little tainted, it still dosen`t affect my training. The benefits far outweight any "negative side effects".

[Talo]

Just think how much better you will be if you didn't smoke dope. :)


I use to smoke so I'm not coming down on guys that do I don't give a shit what people do and imo I think drinking is worst ( or I should say more abused ) , but whatever that a different topic .

I'm just saying once I stopped I noticed a huge jump in my progress in the gym.

[natenator]

I`m not saying it`s healthy.

This right here is the point. If it's not healthy we probably shouldn't be encouraging such behaviour which you *seem* to be doing by not being willing to suggest there are negatives in your earlier posts.

We don't tend to encourage alcohol consumption and binge drinking so I'd think weed should follow suit.

Yes we all partake in unhealthy activities from time to time but I don't generally see it encouraged on this board.

[guest]

i'm not against weed but i think you might be underestimating the damage smoke inhalation can do to your body. eat it if you must.

interesting tidbit:
http://ajplung.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/290/6/L1202

[Ritch]

Just think how much better you will be if you didn't smoke dope. :)


I use to smoke so I'm not coming down on guys that do I don't give a shit what people do and imo I think drinking is worst ( or I should say more abused ) , but whatever that a different topic .

I'm just saying once I stopped I noticed a huge jump in my progress in the gym.

Yo make a good point. I stopped smoking for a full year and this was recently. I thought my problems were related to weed and such. I was wrong the whole "having stopped smoking thing" lost meaning to me. Since I don`t like and actually hate drinking I went back to my girl Marry J. Like I keep saying, it`s not a big deal.

[Ritch]

This right here is the point. If it's not healthy we probably shouldn't be encouraging such behaviour which you *seem* to be doing by not being willing to suggest there are negatives in your earlier posts.

We don't tend to encourage alcohol consumption and binge drinking so I'd think weed should follow suit.

Yes we all partake in unhealthy activities from time to time but I don't generally see it encouraged on this board.

I`m just stating my personal experience with it. Facts. Although we don`t advocate what you were saying I find if strange that we shouldn`t talk about it.

Yet... We can discuss steroids (which I find much more dangerous than weed) I find steroids can have much more health consequences than weed.

But hey, conversations like this are like abortion or religious conversations. Rarely does anybody on either side change their opinions.

[natenator]

I`m just stating my personal experience with it. Facts. Although we don`t advocate what you were saying I find if strange that we shouldn`t talk about it.

Yet... We can discuss steroids (which I find much more dangerous than weed) I find steroids can have much more health consequences than weed.

But hey, conversations like this are like abortion or religious conversations. Rarely does anybody on either side change their opinions.
Its not that we shouldn't discuss it. It's that we should discuss it with an unbiased view. I've openly stated that I have no illusions my steroid use may cause me issues down the road and have said time and time again that those who think what they're doing can't cause issues are delusional.

I don't claim that steroid use is any healthier or better than say weed or smoking or whatever and am more than willing to point out the negatives associated with it. It wasn't until others started questioning your comments that you started associating a negative context about weed. In other words, until prompted you weren't saying anything negative about weed being unhealthy.

[Talo]

Not sure what else you want me to say.

You say it's healthy and doesn't effect your progress and I say it's not healthy and does effect your progress...

So I guess you win because I can't prove it. All I know is my numbers are way higher now that I'm not smoking and my weight is about 20lbs heavier and without changing much in my life but that fact then that is the conclusion I come up with.

[ironwill]

....

[drdnj]

A relatively recent investigation on cannabis and cancer:

Chem Res Toxicol. 2009 Jun;22(6):1181-8.
Evaluation of the DNA damaging potential of cannabis cigarette smoke by the determination of acetaldehyde derived N2-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine adducts.

Singh R, Sandhu J, Kaur B, Juren T, Steward WP, Segerbäck D, Farmer PB.

Cancer Biomarkers and Prevention Group, Biocentre, Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom. rs25@le.ac.uk
Abstract

Acetaldehyde is an ubiquitous genotoxic compound that has been classified as a possible carcinogen to humans. It can react with DNA to form primarily a Schiff base N(2)-ethylidene-2'-deoxyguanosine (N(2)-ethylidene-dG) adduct. An online column-switching valve liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) selected reaction monitoring (SRM) method was developed for the determination of N(2)-ethylidene-dG adducts in DNA following reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride (NaBH(3)CN) to the chemically stable N(2)-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N(2)-ethyl-dG) adduct. Accurate quantitation of the adduct was obtained by the addition of the [(15)N(5)]N(2)-ethyl-dG stable isotope-labeled internal standard prior to enzymatic hydrolysis of the DNA samples to 2'-deoxynucleosides with the incorporation of NaBH(3)CN in the DNA hydrolysis buffer. The method required 50 microg of hydrolyzed DNA on column for the analysis, and the limit of detection for N(2)-ethyl-dG was 2.0 fmol. The analysis of calf thymus DNA treated in vitro with acetaldehyde (ranging from 0.5 to 100 mM) or with the smoke generated from 1, 5, and 10 cannabis cigarettes showed linear dose-dependent increases in the level of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts (r = 0.954 and r = 0.999, respectively). Similar levels (332.8 +/- 21.9 vs 348.4 +/- 19.1 adducts per 10(8) 2'-deoxynucleosides) of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts were detected following the exposure of calf thymus DNA to 10 tobacco or 10 cannabis cigarettes. No significant difference was found in the levels of N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts in human lung DNA obtained from nonsmokers (n = 4) and smokers (n = 4) with the average level observed as 13.3 +/- 0.7 adducts per 10(8) 2'-deoxynucleosides. No N(2)-ethyl-dG adducts were detected in any of the DNA samples following analysis with the omission of NaBH(3)CN from the DNA hydrolysis buffer. In conclusion, these results provide evidence for the DNA damaging potential of cannabis smoke, implying that the consumption of cannabis cigarettes may be detrimental to human health with the possibility to initiate cancer development.

[JifeLacket]

Smokers can actually lose weight/cut much easier doing the same amount of 'work' because its so much friggin harder with all that tar and shit in their lungs everything else has to work that much harder. Does that mean they are in better shape? lol **** no!

By 'in shape' i think Ritch means lets say, cut and muscular, not in the cardiovascular sense, because frankly that is not possibly unless a very light smoker (once a month) and/or they are purely a SPRINTER 200m or less in which case the smoking would really only effect recovery between sets and recovery in general. (which is a hugely important part lol)

[ironwill]

Who is to say its effected at one blunt/month, or 10 per month??? Working in dust or smoky areas can be much more damaging than a few puffs here and there.....Or many other environmental factors can be much more hard on your system than a few puffs...

[JifeLacket]

Who is to say its effected at one blunt/month, or 10 per month??? Working in dust or smoky areas can be much more damaging than a few puffs here and there.....Or many other environmental factors can be much more hard on your system than a few puffs...

This is very true, i have had many times where i was welding with no ventilation and afterward it felt like i smoked a pack lol. Not good. Now ventilation is my #1 concern.

Wood dust also gets ya.

Lets just say any foreign bodies in your lungs is definitely not good. And yes, many chemicals/smoke other then cigarettes and dope can easily be way more harmful. Ever get a good wiff of chlorine by accident? Shit.. Don't clean the pool pump in an enclosed shed without letting it air out first lol

[ironwill]

This is very true, i have had many times where i was welding with no ventilation and afterward it felt like i smoked a pack lol. Not good. Now ventilation is my #1 concern.

Wood dust also gets ya.

Lets just say any foreign bodies in your lungs is definitely not good. And yes, many chemicals/smoke other then cigarettes and dope can easily be way more harmful. Ever get a good wiff of chlorine by accident? Shit.. Don't clean the pool pump in an enclosed shed without letting it air out first lol

Yup, and even crystalline silica found in normal road dust can lead to cancer and silicosis etc....Not trying to throw this off course by any means, but i say....As all things...use/abuse......
Welding fumes are a killer, cleaning supplies etc..

[bossman_1986]

It`s a myth. If it gave gyno, I`d have a set of double D`s...

i had gyno removal surgery because of weed, i used to smoke alot

[JifeLacket]

i had gyno removal surgery because of weed, i used to smoke alot

That is like working with mercury daily and saying eating tuna gave you mercury poisoning.

How do you know your hormones were not already ****ed? Or were you predisposed? (not even sure if one can be predisposed to gyno but i'm just saying) Some teens do get gyno.. without running any gear.. lol

[guest]

Yup, and even crystalline silica found in normal road dust can lead to cancer and silicosis etc....Not trying to throw this off course by any means, but i say....As all things...use/abuse......
Welding fumes are a killer, cleaning supplies etc..

yup, but oddly enough you don't see people spending money and breaking laws to inhale those items:D

breathing any type of smoke or dust is not a healthy choice.


oh....and since i doubt anyone checked the link in my last post.....here it is again:
http://ajplung.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/290/6/L1202

[ironwill]

yup, but oddly enough you don't see people spending money and breaking laws to inhale those items:D

breathing any type of smoke or dust is not a healthy choice.


oh....and since i doubt anyone checked the link in my last post.....here it is again:
http://ajplung.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/290/6/L1202

As far as Legality goes, Well that is where the government need to wake up a tad.....Anyone see the movie from the 60s called "Grass"....lolol....
Never seen a problem with a party full of herb smokers......But i have with whiskey drinkers.....:D

[bigtavi8]

makes me way to hungry, lazy and up and down. I had to cut it our a couple years ago so i could focus on BB and leave it behind. In a week quite a bit of saved money depending on how much you get. So physically i dont no but mentally made me way more sluggish whether i wanted to admit it at the time or not.

[tiramisu]

I can't smoke modern marijuana. It's too strong. It basically just knocks me out.
Of course I'm the same way with alcohol. I have no tolerance for anything except coffee.

[cog]

Outdoor grown from the interior would promote muscle growth...you would work out harder...but it's illegal now so it's a moot point.:)

[HULK]

This right here is the point. If it's not healthy we probably shouldn't be encouraging such behaviour which you *seem* to be doing by not being willing to suggest there are negatives in your earlier posts.

We don't tend to encourage alcohol consumption and binge drinking so I'd think weed should follow suit.

Yes we all partake in unhealthy activities from time to time but I don't generally see it encouraged on this board.


I agree with Nate 100%. This is not the most appropriate place to encourage bad or negative habits.

[ironwill]

I agree with Nate 100%. This is not the most appropriate place to encourage bad or negative habits.

edited as its a moot point....i bow out...

[IronMan]

It also causes 50% more tar build up in the lungs than cigarette smoke does, and scorches the little tiny hairs in your airways profoundly.

Here is a paragraph from one of the MANY studies I read up on smoking Mary J. As I wanted to try it for my fibromyalgia, arthritis, and sleeping problems. I tried it for a bit before bed, just 2-3 small hits, but began to feel the effects on my cardio after a bit. Here's the paragraph and a link to the info

People generally don’t smoke as many marijuana cigarettes as tobacco cigarettes.
Wouldn’t smoking fewer marijuana cigarettes mean that the adverse health effects aren’t
as significant?
A few studies indicate that inhaled smoke from any burning plant product causes the
same type of damage to lungs and throat as cigarette smoke. The way marijuana is
smoked contributes to this respiratory and cardiopulmonary damage. Although people
who smoke marijuana generally smoke fewer marijuana cigarettes than people who
smoke tobacco cigarettes, they tend to inhale more smoke per puff and hold it in their
lungs for as much as four times longer. Compared with smoking one tobacco cigarette
- smoking one marijuana joint puts 5 times more carbon monoxide in your
bloodstream. You inhale 3 times more tar and 1/3 more of that tar will remain in
your respiratory tract. Marijuana smoke also contains 50-70% more carcinogenic
compounds compared to tobacco smoke, so smoking three to five joints per day has the
same cancer-causing effect as smoking a pack of cigarettes every day! On top of that,
when you smoke a joint, there is often no filter, the joint is usually smoked all the way to
the end, and the smoke is usually a higher temperature.

http://www.mcmaster.ca/health/pdf/LTPB%20article%20September%20newsletter.pdf

and here is another

Is smoking pot more dangerous than smoking cigarettes?

The answer to this question depends on the amount of each substance used. It’s also hard to give a straight answer because marijuana contains varying amounts of THC – anywhere from 1% to 8%. When used in equal amounts, marijuana seems to be more harmful than cigarettes, but most pot smokers claim not to smoke as often as cigarette addicts. Here’s some information for you to weigh the risks of each substance:

THC is the active chemical in marijuana. Higher concentrations of THC will cause a greater hallucinogenic effect, and because reproductive cells bind to THC more than other cells, smoking will jeopardize your fertility. THC is fat-soluble, staying in your body (including brain tissue) for up to 3 weeks, though it is not clear what effects it has while it remains.

In lab experiments, THC has been shown to block the immune system’s ability to function properly. This leads to greater risk of illness, infection, and cancer among heavy users. It would be hard to say pot is less dangerous than cigarette smoking because marijuana has 3 times the amount of tar as tobacco, and its carbon monoxide levels are 3-5 times that of cigarettes. Be aware that pot has 50% more cancer-causing hydrocarbons than a tobacco cigarette. Every time you inhale, you’re accepting all of that poison into your body because joints do not have filters. Also, most pot smokers inhale the smoke and hold it in their lungs longer than they would for cigarette smoke.

More research is necessary to learn the true addictive effects of marijuana, but current studies show heavy users will likely experience psychological dependence. Marijuana addiction is not likely to be as intense as the dependence experienced by cigarette smokers. Chronic users build up a tolerance to pot, and they need more and more to get high. Daily users find that their learning, memory, and cognitive skills are weaker than normal; they find it hard to function at their usual level. Experiments on animals that had been chronically exposed to THC resulted in withdrawal symptoms and changes in nerve cells.

Other negative results of smoking pot are that it…

* Changes the chemical balance in your brain, altering your mood, appetite, ability to concentrate, and energy levels.
* Lowers testosterone levels in men and upsets the balance of hormones in women that control menstrual cycles.
* Decreases sperm count and increases sperm abnormalities.
* Jeopardizes the eggs in women’s ovaries (remember, you are born with the total number of eggs you will have for your lifetime – they are irreplaceable!).
* Threatens your ability to learn and remember things, leading to forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.
* Causes the same lung problems as cigarette smoking, including emphysema, cancer, frequent chest colds, coughing, and more phlegm production.
* Leads to anxiety problems, depression, and paranoia.
* Increases risk for cancer of the throat, lungs, head, and neck.

What are the immediate effects of smoking pot?

* Relaxation
* Altered sense of hearing, time, and vision
* Euphoria
* Increased heart rate and appetite
* Dilated pupils
* Memory impairment
* Red eyes and swollen eyelids
* Dry eyes and mouth
* Loss of coordination, slower reaction time (never drive after smoking pot)
* Impaired judgment

How addictive is marijuana?

There has been conflicting research linking marijuana and addiction. Although pot has not shown signs of causing severe physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, associated with drugs like cocaine and heroine, marijuana often causes psychological dependence. This means that the user experiences a psychological need for the drug and its effects in order to function on a daily basis.
If I quit marijuana, will I experience withdrawal symptoms?

The severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on the level of your habit, but if you smoke heavily, you are likely to experience psychological withdrawal, such as feeling sick. You may also experience chronic fatigue, headaches, mood changes, and feel depressed or anxious. Other withdrawal symptoms include nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite, chills, and tremors. Impaired brain functioning can include short-term memory loss and inability to think abstractly. [top]

And please, I'm not trying to argue with any happy MJ smoker in here, I'm merely giving the person who started this thread some info based on his question, as I've had similar questions myself and have really looked into it. Hope this helps and you can make a sound and healthy decision!