CBD (cannabidiol) has been touted as an excellent and safe way to treat various conditions. It is even being used in beauty products to maintain supple, young-looking skin, but CBD has also been making its rounds in the sports and fitness industry, but can it help with your endurance in sports?
Why use CBD for working out?
Most people, when they think of supplements when working out, immediately think of whey proteins, multivitamin tablets, and fat burners. These are used to serve a variety of purposes: from increasing endurance to muscle recovery.
Is it safe?
CBD is a non-psychoactive compound. Unlike its euphoria-inducing cousin, THC, it will not get you high or stoned. You also will not overdose from CBD. There has been little evidence of toxic effects of CBD in the body.
What can CBD do?
When working out, or during training, you build your strength as well as your muscle endurance. Lifting weights, or any form of strenuous exercise, causes muscle fibers to break from the strain. This will leave micro tears in your muscles. Your body will then heal these micro tears, causing your muscles to become bigger and tougher. CBD, with its healing properties, helps in this stage of working out.
The micro tears in your muscles will cause inflammation, much like other types of injury would. This will then cause pain and, if your body is slow to recover, will prevent you from working out effectively on your next work out session. CBD oil’s anti-inflammatory effect will reduce the swelling from these micro tears. This will then lead to pain relief, faster recovery time, and better performance on your next workout. Being able to give your all in every workout will build your muscles and endurance quicker than if you had to take more time off to recover.
CBD oil is also known to help with sleep. CBD is great in addressing anxiety and stress. It suppresses the production of the stress hormone cortisol. Suppressing cortisol will lead to a more relaxed state without the euphoria (getting high). When you are neither stressed or anxious, you will get better quality sleep; and a good sleep is essential to recovery.
Having a good night’s sleep, and muscles that have sufficiently recovered from your previous workout in a shorter amount of time will allow you to, over time, build your stamina and endurance. CBD oil, as a workout aid, can help you become a better athlete.
Dosage
There is no standard dosage for CBD. Everyone’s bodies will react differently to it. The best way to find your optimum dose is to start off with small doses first. Keep adjusting your dose until you feel the desired effects.
Some people use CBD pre-training. It is what works best for them. Others use it post-training as a recovery aid. Using CBD balms is an excellent way to prevent muscle soreness. Using CBD oil in the form of tinctures, or eating CBD gummies, can give you better sleep.
CBD: Even athletes use it
One of the main drawbacks of CBD was the fact that if you were working out or training for a competition, it was illegal to use. Luckily, in 2018, the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has removed CBD from its prohibited list. Now even athletes can use CBD while training.
Conclusion
CBD is a safe addition to your workout routine. It is a safer alternative to NSAIDs and other analgesics; safer than steroids, as well. It also reduces your stress levels and aids in sleep. Overall, bringing your body back into equilibrium with the help of CBD oils is an excellent way to build endurance and strength and help keep you healthy.