After an intense workout, sore muscles can leave you feeling too exhausted for your next set. By taking CBD for muscle recovery, however, you can avoid unnecessary delays between workouts.
More athletes and gym enthusiasts are grabbing their favorite CBD products before hitting the gym. In fact, the cannabidiol industry is expected to rise higher than ever at an anticipated $2 billion by 2022.
So, how does CBD benefit the body for muscle recovery?
Keep reading to discover the benefits of using certified organic CBD oil for workouts before you head back to the gym.
What Causes Muscle Fatigue After Exercising?
Even if you’re perfectly fit, you’ll still feel the aftermath of your workout. An intense workout can even leave you sore for days afterward.
Whether you’re pumping iron or running sprints, exercise inflames your muscles. This can cause microscopic damage to your muscle fibers after each workout. When your muscles become inflamed, your body tries to respond with inflammation to self-repair.
Too much inflammation, however, can leave your muscles feeling sore and stiff.
By taking CBD for muscle relief, you can reduce the inflammation and the pain you’re experiencing.
What is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a compound extracted from the cannabis plant. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD won’t cause psychoactive effects. In other words, you won’t get high by using CBD (regardless of how much you use).
Instead, CBD offers a number of health benefits that can help fitness buffs with everything from muscle building to getting a good night’s sleep.
The Benefits of CBD for Muscle Recovery
According to research, cannabidiol can reduce inflammation. Too much inflammation can lead to:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Type-2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Heart disease
So how does it work?
To start, CBD regulates homeostasis throughout the body. By helping the human body find balance, CBD can relieve muscle pain. At the same time, CBD helps promote protein synthesis and muscle growth.
Instead of stressing your body after an intense workout, CBD allows you to give your body the chance for recovery.
Here are four ways CBD for muscle recovery can benefit your next workout.
1. Reducing Catabolic Hormones
Catabolic hormones cause your muscle tissue to breakout in the first place. One of these hormones, cortisol, specifically causes your muscle tissue to breakdown. During this process, the cortisol reduces protein synthesis, which prevents tissues from growing in the future.
The human body needs cortisol for other processes, though.
For example, cortisol helps the liver flush out toxins. It also works to regulate blood sugar levels throughout your immune system.
Too much stress can cause a spike in your cortisol levels. Not enough, however, puts your immune system at risk. Your cortisol levels also fluctuate throughout the day.
An intense workout is one of the ways you can increase your cortisol levels. As the catabolic hormone increases, you’ll also experience higher blood pressure. This, in turn, will cause your muscle tissue to breakdown.
As a result, working out will break the very muscle you’re trying to build.
For proper muscle building, you need to maintain balanced cortisol levels during and before your workout.
CBD helps you find a healthy balance between too much and not enough cortisol.
2. Recharge to Build Stamina
During a long, intense workout, you’ll experience an endorphin rush that’s often called a “runner’s high.” The euphoria gives you an added boost that benefits your stamina during a cardio workout.
Throughout this process, your endocannabinoid system is really the one giving your body a stamina boost.
During cardio, a natural endocannabinoid compound called anandamide powers that endorphin rush. Anandamide is regulated by CBD.
Try taking CBD before you start your next cardio workout. The CBD will work with your body’s natural processes to:
- Regulate your breathing
- Relax your muscles
- Balance your dopamine levels
- Increase your energy
- Reduce inflammation (which causes your aches and sore muscles)
As a result, taking CBD for muscle recovery will benefit your stamina, too!
3. It’s Anti-inflammatory
CBD can help you before and after a workout.
After an intense workout session, some fitness-buffs choose to take painkillers to relieve their sore muscles. Over time, the pills can become less effective. By using CBD for muscle fatigue, you can restore your worn muscles without using drugs.
Weight training and other intense workouts cause the inflammation associated with your sore and worn muscles. Inflammation is your body’s natural reaction to repairing hurt tissue and muscle. Too much, however, occurs when you don’t rest between these intense workouts.
This excess inflammation can lead to injuries many people associate with physical activity.
Some athletes take long ice baths to ease their pain. Others drink more water, while some change up their diet. Today, more athletes and gym-goers are also using CBD products to reduce their inflammation.
By taking CBD after a workout, you can reduce your body’s excess inflammation.
This will give your body a chance to complete its natural process for muscle recovery without the use of over-the-counter painkillers.
4. Sleep Soundly
According to some research, CBD is also effective at treating insomnia. Sleep is your body’s natural restart button. Like inflammation, CBD can help your body repair itself, thereby aiding in muscle recovery.
Sleep will give your body the chance to repair worn muscles and build new muscle.
When you don’t get enough sleep, however, your body will fail to properly burn energy. This can also impact the effects of your workouts.
Unlike some sleep medications, CBD works with your body’s natural endocannabinoid system. By helping you relax and get the sleep you need, CBD can help you recharge and heal after an intense workout.
Then, as you’re sleeping, CBD will help stimulate muscle recovery to prepare you for the next day’s workout.
Pump Up with These Benefits of CBD for Muscle Recovery
Make the most of your workout regimen. By taking CBD for muscle recovery, you can properly heal between workouts. You can maximize your workouts for more effective muscle building.
Explore the CBD section of the blog for more informative guides.