Can weed make you lose coordination?

Impaired movement is one of the most common side effects of cannabis. In this article, we will answer the question “can weed make you lose coordination?”, explore why cannabis affects movement, and discuss how to use the Jointly app to reduce your chance of experiencing impaired movement or coordination. While it is not physically possible to fatally overdose from cannabis, a THC overdose can produce a variety of uncomfortable side effects like muscle tension, coordination issues, or impaired balance. In general, the best way to avoid side effects from cannabis is to find your minimum effective dose for your wellness goals.

Why Does Weed Make You Lose Coordination? Does Marijuana Affect Your Balance?

Cannabis produces its effects through cannabinoids, which are compounds produced by the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids produced by weed can interact with endocannabinoid receptors in your brain and body. These receptors are distributed throughout areas of the brain that control time perception, sensory perception, movement, coordination, memory, thinking, and concentration. When cannabinoids bind to receptors in your brain, they can alter various physical and mental functions. THC can interact with the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which are “brain areas that regulate balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time.” That is why you can lose coordination from weed. Additionally, dopamine plays an important role in modulating movement. Dopamine-related changes are the basis of movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. THC binding to CB1 receptors can stimulate the release of dopamine, which can affect movement. Recent neuroimaging studies have explored the way cannabis affects movement to assess to what degree THC impairs driving ability. In these studies, researchers image the brains of participants as they engage in specific activities. One study found that cannabis users exhibited greater functional connectivity between brain areas when doing a test designed to mimic stopping a car, which indicates that it took greater effort for them to stop. Another study explored how THC affected fine motor skills. The researchers found that both high and low doses of THC impacted fine motor skills, but that higher doses of THC had a greater impact. Research indicates that cannabis can impair movement and coordination, so it is important to avoid operating heavy machinery or driving while under the influence of cannabis.

How to Mitigate Impaired Movement from Cannabis

Here are some general suggestions on how to mitigate side effects from cannabis, and then we will explore some specific suggestions about how to fix impaired movement. Try a new product Different cannabis products will contain different chemical compounds like cannabinoids and terpenes, which may exert distinct effects. Use Jointly’s Product Finder to discover new top-rated products. Try a new ingestion method Additionally, the way you ingest a product will change how it affects you. Smoking a joint of cannabis flower may produce slightly different effects from vaporizing it, although both ingestion methods involve heating cannabis and inhaling the active compounds. Each ingestion method has its own advantages and may produce different effects or side effects. To learn how different weed ingestion methods produce different effects, read our article The Best Way to Take Cannabis for Wellness Purposes. Add in a companion food Did you know that weed companion foods can enhance your cannabis experience in different ways? Mangoes, dark chocolate, green tea, and thyme are all weed companion foods. Chemical compounds in these foods may alter your cannabis experience, and potentially mitigate adverse side effects like drowsiness. To learn about these foods and how to add them into your cannabis wellness routine, check out our article Do These Foods Get You Higher? Find your minimum effective dose Most adverse side effects from cannabis are caused by ingesting too high of a dose of THC. While you cannot die from ingesting too much cannabis, a THC overdose is a real risk. The single most effective way to mitigate side effects is to microdose and titrate up your dose until you find the minimum effective dose of cannabis to get the effect you want. Turn the dials on 15 factors According to cannabis experts, there are at least 15 factors that can impact your cannabis experience and play a major role in whether a cannabis product is giving you the feeling you want, or producing adverse side effects like impaired movement and coordination. Perhaps you will find that when you sleep at least 7 hours, your movement and coordination are not as impaired by cannabis. Or maybe you will discover that combining cannabis with some gentle exercise helps you maintain normal levels of coordination. The Jointly app lets you to track the 15 factors that can impact your cannabis experience. As you optimize how you consume cannabis, your favorite cannabis products will perform better for you.

How to Not Lose Coordination from Weed

What can you do to avoid losing coordination or experiencing impaired movement from weed? Ingesting cannabis with CBD could mitigate adverse effects by buffering some of the psychoactive effects of THC. Additionally, you could try making sure you are well-hydrated, had adequate sleep, ate a healthy and balanced diet that day, and did some exercise before you ingest cannabis. If you are still experiencing adverse side effects, try microdosing. For some people, just 1mg might be the perfect dose. Don’t be afraid to break up a single serving into multiple servings: cannabis can affect different people differently.

Get Started on Your Cannabis Wellness Journey

Jointly is a new cannabis wellness app that helps people discover purposeful cannabis consumption so they can achieve their wellness goals with cannabis and CBD. On the Jointly app, you can find new cannabis products, rate products based on how well they helped you achieve your goals, and track and optimize your cannabis consumption so that you can enjoy your ideal experience every time. Download the Jointly app on the App Store or the Google Play Store to get started on your cannabis wellness journey today.