Do you play 5-a-side in the park or complete regular marathons? However you move your body, exercise can take a toll on your joints and muscles over time. Here we discuss how introducing CBD could help get you back in gear ready for the next session, time after time.
With top athletes across golf, rugby, MMA and more reaping the benefits of regular CBD use, it must be worth looking into. (And when we say top, yes we have heard Tiger Woods is an advocate!)
What do our muscles go through when we exercise?
When you exercise you essentially expose your muscles to stress. Simply put, when you put your muscles to the test they make microscopic tears in them in order to complete the workout. After the session, your immune system works hard to build and repair them and this is how they become bigger and stronger ready for the next work out.
This is a continuous cycle. After the recovery session from your immune system, your muscles are stronger and your next workout is easier than the one before. As you push your muscles more, your body will repair them again so that you become even stronger.
How does CBD work and what are the benefits?
CBD is one of more than 100 different cannabinoids found in hemp plants. It interacts with the endocannabinoid system which is a molecular system responsible for regulating and balancing processes in the body like cell communication, pain perception, appetite, and sleep quality.
Although CBD is used worldwide for many different reasons, specific to sport and muscle recovery it has been known to help:
- Sleep and Relaxation: Getting quality sleep is one of the most crucial aspects of muscle recovery, this is when the body gets to work on repairing, recharging, and rebalancing ready for the next day.
- Reduce Inflammation: The anti-inflammatory benefits of CBD can help you recover faster and avoid delayed muscle soreness.
- Pain Relief: CBD is often used for pain relief, to help pain both during and after exercise. Many top athletes use CBD post-workout to help manage pain from sore joints, muscle aches and older reoccurring injuries.
How do you use it?
CBD comes in different forms, the most common are CBD oils, taken orally and CBD balms and lotions, rubbed directly onto target areas of the body.
They can work independently but many people chose to use them in conjunction to receive optimum benefits. It comes down to personal preference.
Where should I start?
The best way to experience CBD oil is through building up your dosages until you find your ‘sweet spot’. This is different for everyone and will result in you receiving the maximum benefits whilst wasting no CBD.
We recommend that you start off with one droplet of CBD oil under the tongue in the morning and one at night, and to repeat this for 3 days. Then increase to two droplets, and then three droplets. Do this until you reach the amount that feels right for you.
Explore our CBD Oils here. We recommend as a starting point a 4% or 5% oil.
Browse our muscle balms and lotions in our CBD Sport and Muscle Relief section for CBD applied directly to that aching muscle or sore area.
If you need some advice or want a friendly chat about how CBD could help you, don’t be shy. Head to our Contact Us page and submit a question.
