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The health and fitness industry teems with products boldly marketed as the “magic pill” for muscle recovery. Unfortunately, only a handful of these products deliver on their claims. And even those that do often contain unhealthy additives that might cause long-term health complications if used long enough.
In light of these challenges, many health and fitness experts now recommend alternative herbal extracts for muscle recovery. One such extract is CBD.
CBD is widely touted for its incredible ability to accelerate muscle recovery. But does the compound live up to the hype? This article shall attempt to put that question into a better perspective.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, popularly shortened as CBD, is a chemical that occurs naturally in cannabis (known as a cannabinoid), widely touted for its various therapeutic benefits.
CBD contains antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. That makes it a potential remedy for pain and inflammation, respectively. The compound also packs anxiolytic, antiemetic, and antispasmodic abilities. Therefore, it can help manage stress and anxiety, nausea, and muscle spasticity, respectively.
There are tons of other common ailments that medical cannabis doctors prescribe CBD for. Examples include skin conditions like eczema, metabolic disorders like diabetes, and psychiatric issues like schizophrenia, to mention but a few.
Is CBD The Only Cannabinoid?
CBD isn’t the only medicinal extract from cannabis. The plant produces over 130 other therapeutic compounds, including the primary psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Just like cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol provides several health benefits. The primary difference between these compounds is that THC contains additional psychoactive abilities.
Tetrahydrocannabinol also exists in various forms, known as isomers. They include delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, THC-O, etc.
THC-O is the least known of all the four tetrahydrocannabinol isomers. However, there has been a surge in demand for this compound in the recent past, mainly due to its mellower effects compared to its other stronger cousins.
If you’d like to use THC-O alongside CBD for muscle recovery, it’s reassuring to know that there are numerous places you can get the Best CBD Gummies. You only need to find a credible supplier.
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How Does CBD Help Muscle Recovery
CBD Can Relieve Pain
Pain is the most commonly reported medical problem by professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Indeed, there’s virtually no exercise that doesn’t trigger some form of pain. And the more vigorous your workouts are, the more excruciating the pain will be.
Exercise-induced pain tends to fade away on its own. But it can lead to serious workout downtimes while it lasts.
Fortunately, pain is also the medical problem for which cannabidiol is mainly prescribed. CBD treats pain by impacting the performance of pain-signaling receptors within the endocannabinoid system.
One study investigating the role of cannabidiol for workout recovery found that oral CBD could reduce muscle soreness when administered immediately after a workout.
CBD Can Ease Inflammation
Muscle pain and inflammation usually go hand in hand.
Exercise-induced inflammation results typically from the microscopic damage caused to muscle cells during periods of strenuous workouts. And just like pain, inflammation can deal a heavy blow to your workout program if not mitigated.
Now, cannabidiol packs immense anti-inflammatory properties. The compound fights inflammation by inhibiting the activity of proteins responsible for aiding the body’s inflammatory responses, such as cytokines and chemokines.
A 2018 review of original studies found that cannabidiol can indeed ease inflammation. The review particularly cites CBD to improve mobility caused by pain and inflammation among people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
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CBD Can Ramp Up Blood Flow
Efficient blood circulation to all body parts is essential in speeding up muscle recovery. This is another area where cannabidiol has shown tremendous potential.
CBD acts as a vasodilator. When the substance enters the body, it expands constricted arteries and veins. This increases blood flow to vital organs, including your muscles, brain, and liver.
Increased blood circulation after workouts is especially crucial in supplying the muscles with nutrients and oxygenated blood while helping get rid of toxic by-products like lactic acid.
More blood flowing through your muscles post workouts can also help to relieve the delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is a medical term for the muscle pain and stiffness experienced a day or two following rigorous workouts.
CBD Can Improve Sleep Quality
Sleep is another vital process required in accelerating muscle recovery. During sleep, the body repairs the microscopic damages to muscle cells incurred during strenuous workouts.
Cannabidiol is a sedative. As with any sedative drug, CBD aids sleep by reducing sleep onset time.
Studies indicate that CBD may shorten rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. As the name implies, REM sleep is a sleep phase characterized by rapid, involuntary eye movement within the sockets.
It’s during REM sleep that much of the dreaming happens. Dreams can often manifest as nightmares for people with underlying conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, reducing REM duration translates to dreamless and more restful sleep.
Some studies have shown that CBD may treat REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD is a sleep disorder where a person unconsciously dramatizes their dreams.
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Summary
Cannabidiol is highly effective in speeding up muscle recovery. CBD relieves most of the side effects of strenuous workouts, including pain and inflammation.
The compound also ramps up blood circulation and improves sleep quality, two other crucial processes required for faster muscle healing post workouts.