Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most popular non-intoxicating compounds found in the cannabis plant. It is mainly known for its wellness benefits, ranging from improved mood to pain relief. Nowadays, fitness enthusiasts often experiment with CBD. But is it really effective?
Many users report positive experiences using CBD products as fitness supplements. Besides registering a slight boost in their energy levels, they often experience reduced stress and anxiety, as well as improved muscle recovery. Still, the vast majority regard CBD products only as post-workout supplements that help control post-training discomfort.
If you want to take your workouts to the next level, you might wonder whether CBD products like a CBD salve stick are the way to go. Here are a few ways how CBD can affect your workouts:
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Alleviating Inflammation
CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It is widely known for relieving chronic and acute inflammation — a potentially serious problem for athletes. As inflammation hinders their performance and sometimes even results in injuries and sickness, using CBD may be a reasonable way to combat this problem.
When you work out, your muscles can experience inflammation caused by either external or internal factors. External factors include heavy weight lifting, high-intensity training, and vigorous exercises.
On the other hand, internal factors frequently refer to things like muscle fatigue, muscular imbalance, and delayed recovery time. Each one of these factors can lead to soreness, pain, and lack of flexibility.
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD can help your body deal with these issues by relaxing muscle tension and having a soothing effect. CBD helps reduce pain and inflammation, resulting in better recovery. Whether you opt for CBD softgels or lotions, they can take your workouts to a whole new level.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Most of us have experienced at least a handful of stressful situations. In such an anxiety-filled moment, it is easy to get to the point where we cannot perform very well. Sometimes, stress and anxiety can cause physical discomfort, like a headache or backache.
CBD can suppress these symptoms so that you can maintain a high level of performance during your workouts. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety that stem from your everyday life. Plus, it can induce relaxation and help you sleep better.
Many people have successfully used CBD as a natural supplement for treating anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Others report that this substance helped them manage stress factors and avoid any adverse effects of stress, like lack of motivation and constant fatigue.
All in all, CBD can help you feel more relaxed before and after workouts, which is essential for achieving optimal performance during training.
Boosting Your Energy Levels
CBD is known for its relaxing properties, but that does not necessarily mean that it cannot boost your energy levels, stamina, and endurance. It does so in a few different ways. For example, CBD products can help you deal with fatigue by relaxing your muscle tissues.
Another way CBD boosts your energy levels is by enhancing your natural production of anandamide — a brain chemical that helps fight fatigue and pain. By increasing its levels in your body, CBD offers a natural, healthy way to fight fatigue.
Other than that, CBD boosts your energy levels by reducing pain. If you are quite sensitive to caffeine, you will be glad to know that CBD will not cause any jitters.
Basically, it will not give you the “coffee rush” feeling, but it will simply improve your energy levels. It can help you focus on performance and avoid distractions during your workouts.
Aiding Sleep
Many people are concerned about their sleep quality, but most of them do not know what they can do to improve it.
Anxiety and stress significantly impact the quality of your sleep, so if you are stressed out and anxious, your sleep pattern might suffer the consequences.
In fact, numerous ailments, including chronic pain and inflammation, can affect sleep.
Fortunately, CBD products can help you ensure a good night’s sleep by reducing stress and anxiety levels. This compound can help you combat such issues by increasing the serotonin levels in your body, helping you relax and fall asleep faster.
Moreover, CBD is an excellent way to treat insomnia due to its relaxing and calming effects. Some users even report that they experience a deeper and less interrupted sleep by supplementing CBD before bedtime.
Helping With Muscle Recovery
As a fitness enthusiast, you are probably aware of the importance of post-workout recovery. Recovery is critical to get the best results from your workouts and make your body stronger. Simply put, you cannot expect to build muscle if your muscles are sore.
That is why, after each workout, you should give yourself some time off before exercising again. You can also use CBD products to make the recovery process more efficient.
Similar to how CBD can help your body heal from serious injuries, it can also reduce pain, swelling, and other inflammatory symptoms. CBD oils, tinctures, and other products may help with muscle recovery.
Once introduced into the system, they will work as powerful anti-inflammatory agents that help your body recover from the damage caused by intense workouts. If you’re a regular CBD user, you may notice even better results in muscle recovery.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis is a natural alternative for pain and other health issues. You can use it to soothe a wide range of problems, from joint and muscle pain to depression and anxiety symptoms. But could CBD products improve your workouts? The current data suggest that the benefits of CBD could be helpful for athletes.
If you want to experiment with CBD products, always consult with your doctor first. It is also vital to follow the dosage guidelines. Even if you get a product that experts consider safe to use, you should never take more than the recommended amount.
Additionally, if you want to reap all the benefits CBD products can offer, combine them with a healthy diet and a proper training program. Good luck!
