How CBD Benefits Muscle Recovery for Athletes and Bodybuilders

If you haven’t been living under a rock these past 5 years, you’ve definitely heard about CDB products in one form or another, and that it offers a lot of different benefits.

Well, this “miracle oil” market is booming, and it’s expected to triple again by 2026. Can something so simple and with such a low risk really be as good as they say?

Well, CBD is quickly making its way into the fitness industry, so now is the time to find out! Let’s talk about CBD benefits for bodybuilders and see if it’s right for you!

CBD Benefits For Bodybuilders

Before we talk about how CBD helps you recover, let’s quickly go over why you feel sore after a workout. When you exercise you create microscopic tears in your muscles, which can create inflammation. Your body then has to respond and repair, causing stiffness or soreness. CBD is believed to help with this.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol is a substance found in the cannabis plant, and it’s gaining wide popularity in the US.

There are dozens of different chemical compounds found in cannabis plants, and CBD is one of the most popular. It does not get you high like THC, but it is a close relative, being only one atom away from a copied molecule.

While further study is still required, CBD is believed to help with reducing high blood pressure as well as aiding anxiety and depression. However, some bodybuilders even use it for improving their state of mind and for recovering from a workout.

How Does CBD Help?

If you’ve talked to someone who uses CBD regularly, they’ll swear to you that the benefits of CBD are worth their weight in gold. However, these are anecdotal. What does science tell us about these products?

CBD is supposed to help by improving your mood and limiting the amount of inflammation built up in your muscles, but how?

Well, CBD has a number of different properties and effects on the body. It’s known to have antipsychotic, antiemetic, neuroprotective, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory properties, all of which can be beneficial to bodybuilders.

The original studies proved that CBD was able to reduce inflammation for patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This was published in 2018 after a review of 132 published studies, and soon enough, the bodybuilding industry picked up on it.

While the inflammation reduction is confirmed, giving it all the attention, studies are being conducted on some of the other supposed benefits, and there are plenty of them!

CBD is also believed to help limit pain, increase energy levels, reduce muscle tension, and even improve appetite and sleep, which are critical components to any bodybuilders’ lifestyle.

How To Take CBD As A Bodybuilder

While CBD oil is the most common method people use to take it, there are also edibles like gummies, different capsules, and plenty of other ways to ingest CBD.

There are many different types of CBD products, so learn more before you shop!

Where Can I Get CBD?

CBD products are available all across the US since President Trump signed a law back in December 2018 to make all hemp products legal as long as they contain under 0.3% THC.

While products vary widely in potency, it’ll be best to look around online and in-store at smoke shops, health and supplement stores, and other locations to see where you can get the best bang for your buck.

Getting products from reputable distributors is always a good idea. If you live in one of the states where recreational marijuana is legal, you can purchase CBD products from most dispensaries, which have to go through extensive regulation procedures.

Is It Safe?

Yes, CBD products are generally regarded as safe to use. Again, there is no psychoactive effect like THC, as well as no evidence to suggest having an addictive effect.

A good general guideline is to stick to 1-6 milligrams for every 10 pounds of body weight. If you weigh 200 pounds, stick between 200 and 1200 milligrams. Base this on your pain or discomfort levels, from low to high. This isn’t the most accurate system, but it’s good to find a point to start from. After that, you’re basically good to start using it regularly.

Which Type Is Right For Me?

As we mentioned, CBD products vary widely in strength and method of ingestion. It doesn’t just have to be vaped, smoked, or dripped. If you’re used to having lower back pain and nothing else, try a topical lotion to put on the area that hurts and see if that works!

If you want to really immerse yourself and relax your whole body, try a CBD-infused bath bomb. The possibilities are endless.

Sound like a lot? Well, it is, but again, these products are perfectly safe, so there’s no harm in experimenting and seeing what works for you. It’s a lot safer than experimenting with different anti-inflammatory medications, so don’t worry too much!

Try It Out For Yourself

While all of the CBD benefits are still being studied, the research really is promising! Not only that, but everybody’s heard an anecdote or two about how it’s helped individual people feel better, so why not see it for yourself? It’s low risk with a potentially high reward!

If it helps you recover and perform better at the gym, you’ll be glad you tried it! Either way, keep up to date with the latest news, and we’ll let you know when more information comes out!