CBD has become increasingly popular during the last few years. Most people are aware of its potential stress relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, but some of its more unique uses have escaped common observation. One of them is found in its ability to improve athletic performance. CBD is a potent workout enhancer for pre and post workout.
So, what exactly are its benefits?
Reduces Pain and Inflammation
Like we mentioned above, most people are aware that CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory. Inflammation causes pain, so by inhibiting an inflammatory response, CBD can reduce aches and pains. In addition, CBD has been shown to act on certain receptors that are responsible for how we interpret pain. This can help athletes during or after their workouts. By providing pain relief and reducing the time spent sore, CBD allows athletes to go longer and have shorter recovery time.
Muscle Recovery
The real benefits of CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties come after a workout. CBD has been shown to relieve delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. That’s the pain you feel a day or two after a heavy workout. When you work out, you create tiny tears in your muscles. This is a normal process and the healing of the muscle is what creates mass. But this can be painful. Luckily, CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can reduce these muscle pains and body aches. An added benefit is being able to apply CBD topically, so you can rub it right where it hurts. Relief usually comes quickly.
Promotes Mobility
This attribute is probably closely linked to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, but we thought it should get its own category. CBD has muscle relaxing effects and can reduce muscle spasms. By doing this it allows athletes to stretch deeper and move faster. This can be beneficial during and after workout.
While we aren’t making any claims that CBD cures or prevents diseases, scientific studies have found that CBD does help those that are dealing with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating disease of the central nervous system. MS can severely limit people’s mobility to the point of paralysis, but CBD has been shown to help by exhibiting myelin repairing properties.
Better Sleep
We all know that we feel and operate better after a good night’s sleep, but we may underestimate just how important sleep really is. Bad or no sleep has been shown to be as impairing to the body as alcohol. Sleep is the time when your body repairs and restores all your major bodily systems. You’ll shorten recovery time and enhance workout time with a good night’s sleep.
CBD has been shown to act on receptors responsible for sleep. Because of this CBD may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. CBD also reduces the amount of time spent in REM sleep and increases the time spent in deep sleep. Deep sleep is where the body does most of its repairs.
Helps Manage Stress and Anxiety Symptoms
CBD can also help those dealing with anxiety. Anxiety can cause muscle tightness, poor coordination, rapid heart beat, and sweating. If an athlete is competing, this isn’t ideal and will obviously affect performance. People generally perform better when they are under less stress. CBD can help athletes reach a more optimal mental state.
One study gave either a CBD oil or a placebo to people before a performance. The group that took CBD was found to have less nervousness, less anxiety and improved cognitive function.
Improves Physical Performance
More research is needed, but there is quite a bit of anecdotal evidence supporting CBD’s positive effect on physical performance. People say CBD gives them energy that allows them to perform better athletically. This is a phenomenon customers have reported. This could be due to the relieved pain and better sleep associated with CBD.
We know that the sativa strains of marijuana are more stimulating than other strains. And while CBD has no or less than 0.3% THC it is still extracted from the sativa species. Perhaps this phenomenon can be explained by the entourage effect associated with broad or full spectrum CBD oil.
More Research
Clearly more research is needed in many areas. Keep in mind, up until recently CBD was hard to study because it was associated with a schedule 1 substance. Only in 2018 did it become legal nationwide. In the coming years it will be interesting to see what science uncovers.
Luckily, you can reap the benefits of CBD now. Take a few drops before your morning workout and see for yourself.
