Let’s find out exactly why more and more athletes around the world are turning towards products like CBD and relying less on pharmaceuticals to address pain and inflammation... It is for good reasons too.
When we workout vigorously we can cause what is known as exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), which basically means we workout so hard to the point of exhaustion, and it can have a negative impact on the muscles.
EIMD was shown to impair an athlete's muscle's ability to function and contract following a vigorous exercise, which results in our muscle fibers to be torn. When we tear muscle fibers they can then repair and become larger, but after tearing, our body initiates an inflammatory response to go in and repair those muscle fibers.
Although this is a normal inflammatory response from the body, we can reduce that initial inflammatory response and cut down on our recovery time which means less sore days (1). We always know when we are in that initial inflammatory response and lactic acid build up following a workout because our muscles are sore and no one likes this... especially on leg day when you need to use the toilet. LOL
The best thing to do is include some CBD and do some cardio to break up that lactic acid.
While CBD was shown to reduce inflammation it is also shown to improve muscle strength and coordination, which is huge when it comes to athletic performance (McCartney, et al., 2020).
CBD has some additional benefits that this study listed, which included neuroprotective properties that aid in the event of a concussion, offer analgesic properties (great for the muscle recovery period), reduce exercise induced GI damage (blood and oxygen is shunted to the muscles), strengthening skeletal bones and increasing bone density, improve cardiovascular and metabolic functions, help control body heat during physical exercise (Thermoregulation), reduce Sports Performance Anxiety (SPA), improve sleep patterns (where all the recovery happens), and improve cognitive and psychomotor functioning (1).
What an amazing herb!
CBD is again demonstrating the powerful properties that exist within these plant compounds when acting on our endocannabinoid system (ECS). This takes plant medicine to the next level!
*This information is for educational purposes only and simply sharing of the information pertained to this study. No medical advice or claims are being made.
Reference
1. McCartney, D., Benson, M. J., Desbrow, B., Irwin, C., Suraev, A., & McGregor, I. S. (2020). Cannabidiol and Sports Performance: a Narrative Review of Relevant Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research. Sports medicine - open, 6(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-020-00251-0
