Benefits of CBD Oil in Muscle Recovery

CBD oil is the new superstar when it comes to using supplements for exercise and recovery. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence highlighting the successful athletes have had with CBD supplementation after a tough workout. Additionally, new studies are being released every day about this desirable product.

CBD Oil in Muscle Recovery

Here are four benefits of using CBD oil in muscle recovery and what you need to know before getting started.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is derived from cannabis plants. Unlike THC— the psychoactive component of marijuana— CBD offers numerous health benefits without some of the mind-altering side effects.

Is CBD oil legal? It’s been legal since 2018 and has become a bit of a buzzword in the health and wellness industry.

Benefit One: Can Be Used Topically or Orally

One of the main benefits of CBD oil for muscle recovery is that it’s versatile. You can get CBD oil in a liquid form to ingest or apply it topically with a carrier oil or a salve. According to The Helping Friendly Salve, topical application is ideal for spot treating sore muscles after an intense workout.

Topical application is also ideal for those who don’t respond well to oral ingestion or have concerns about competitive regulations surrounding CBD use.

When it comes to oral ingestion of CBD, you can either take it directly under your tongue or add it to a beverage. For many fitness lovers, CBD is a must-have ingredient in protein shakes or fruit smoothies to support their training and recovery.

Others enjoy using a vape pen to ingest their CBD or take it in capsule form.

Benefit Two: Reduces Inflammation

When you work out, you are effectively damaging your muscles. Your muscles tear and repair to become bigger and stronger.

While this is a natural process, it can cause an inflammatory response to what the body perceives as harm, resulting in muscle pain.

According to a meta-analysis of various studies regarding the use of CBD, this product has great potential for reducing both acute and chronic inflammation. In doing so, it can help reduce targeted muscle pain after training without the need for synthetic anti-inflammatory medication.

This is an especially important consideration for those who rely on anti-inflammatory medications, which can cause a variety of health concerns when used in excess.

Benefit Three: Assists with Restful Sleep

Your body does its best work while you’re sleeping. Rest plays an integral role in recovery, whether you’re talking about the common cold or muscle repair.

The relaxing, anti-anxiety effects of CBD oil help encourage restful sleep and thus improve your ability to repair damaged muscles. Many athletes struggle to get a good night of sleep after an intense workout, as muscle tension causes discomfort.

CBD can help break the vicious cycle of needing rest to repair muscle tissue and being unable to sleep because of soreness.

Getting enough sleep also ensures that your body is functioning at an optimal level, which will help prevent injury and offset the impacts of over-training.

Benefit Four: Natural Pain Relief

CBD is an effective form of natural pain relief, as it interacts with your Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Your ECS is a signaling system that transmits information within your central and peripheral nervous systems.

While the details of how CBD interacts with your ECS is still somewhat of a mystery, it’s the reason that medical marijuana has long been used for pain relief fibromyalgia, cancer, and other chronic diseases. The upside of CBD is that it lacks the “high” of THC while still offering pain relief.

By taking CBD oil for muscle recovery, you can get back in the gym quicker and stay active for longer without causing more damage over time. If you tend to experience DOMS that puts you behind in your training, CBD oil could help.

Tips for Using CBD Oil in Muscle Recovery

One of the most important things to remember when taking CBD oil is that not all products are made the same.

It’s essential to use a high-quality product that’s free of non-essential additives. It’s also vital to become a label reader and ensure you aren’t buying a product that has a high ratio of THC.

CBD oil is allowed a certain threshold of THC in some areas, while marijuana is completely legal in others. If you’re not buying locally, read the fine print.

It’s also important to start small and scale up the dosage. Different body types react differently to CBD oil. Some users have reported mild side effects, including stomach upset and drowsiness.

Wrap-Up

Finally, CBD should be treated as a supplement to assist with muscle recovery, not as the core of your training regimen. Drinking plenty of fluids, incorporating rest days into your schedule, and prioritizing nutrition should all be prioritized.

If you struggle with post-training muscle soreness, try CBD and see if it’s right for you.