CBD is already making huge headlines in many industries, but back in the days, nobody would ever link cannabis use to a healthy lifestyle, let alone improving one’s fitness regimen.
And yet, CBD oil has recently become one of the main go-to supplementation choices for both amateur and professional athletes across the world.
Many people stay completely away from conventional supplements for one simple reason: the ingredients. The best part about CBD concentrates is that they typically contain just one ingredient – CBD, or cannabidiol, extracted from the hemp plant material.
This article will help you get a better understanding of how CBD oil can improve your fitness regimen.
Off we go!
1. Fix Issues With Food Cravings
Poor diet, omnipresent contaminants, and preservatives in food, too much stress in life, destructive habits — they all can impact your hunger/reward mechanism in the brain, which is one of the leading causes of obesity these days.
Binge eating is often triggered by the overproduction of hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for appetite control. Increased production of ghrelin occurs when our endocannabinoid system’s CB1 receptors in the brain are stimulated.
The science behind CBD reducing our food cravings is simple. Cannabidiol is an effective CB1 blocker; this, in turn, doesn’t allow for the overproduction of ghrelin and may bring the metabolic balance that will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced in your life.
2. Provide a Long-Lasting & Jitter-Free Energy Boost
If you’re a regular coffee drinker and you savvy a cup of strong Americano to boost your energy levels before hitting the gym, then you know that one cup too many can ruin your whole workout.
That’s because of the jittery sensation when you overdose on caffeine. Besides, the stimulation from coffee is also relatively short-lasting, especially for those with high tolerance to caffeine.
CBD oil, on the other hand, can raise your bottom line energy levels when consumed in low to moderate doses.
This mild yet effective boost can last for anything between 6-10 hours. Lower amounts of CBD may also come in handy for dealing with pre-workout anxiety, so you’re actually getting the best of both worlds.
What we would not recommend, though, is taking CBD oil late in the evening, unless you’re on high doses for pain-relief reasons. Otherwise, these smaller amounts of CBD can keep you awake at night.
3. Make Your Senses Razor-Sharp
Studies show that CBD users are better at cognitive tests than their non-using counterparts, especially when it comes to facial recognition tests.
Cannabis oil, especially the hemp-derived one, can take your fitness regiment to an entirely new level by putting your right in the zone, enhancing your focus, and balancing the physical/mental energy and creativity — all of this without making you feel high or stoned.
A growing body of research also shows that CBD can have positive effects for people who experience anxiety, which can affect focus and concentration. When you feel calmer and your thoughts are more controlled, you can put more energy into concentrating on your workout. On a list of reviewed CBD oils, you can discover which products are best for anxiety and helping to restore your focus. Some CBD products are crafted to improve sleep, which also affects your ability to focus. Better sleep and less anxiety will both get your head in the game.
4. Help You Handle the Monotonous Workout Routine
If you’re having problems with your exercise design, a bit of cannabinoid before hitting the gym should do the trick.
Stimulating the endocannabinoid system with compounds from cannabis oil helps users think more outside the box and come up with a quick fix for monotony in their fitness regimen.
With CBD oil, it may be easier to throw together a workout you deem challenging and follow through effectively instead of going through the same exercises time and again.
5. Increase Muscle Endurance
CBD has some powerful — and well documented — analgesic effects. Simply put, it can naturally reduce pain across the board without causing the substance use disorder or addiction. On top of that, CBD shows no toxicity and is entirely safe for human consumption.
One of the best things about using CBD oil to improve your fitness regimen is its ability to reduce the muscle tension during your workout; of course, the painful sensation is still there, but you won’t experience it as much as you would without CBD.
6. Help You Stay “Here And Now” Without Getting You High
While THC can bring some real fun to your fitness regimen, some people don’t handle it well before workouts for numerous reasons.
CBD, on the contrary, has no psychoactive properties, meaning you won’t feel high after consuming it.
Since hemp-derived CBD oil contains less than 0.3% of THC, it can improve your performance without causing the psychoactive buzz — that sounds pretty awesome, right?
7. Relieve Muscle Soreness
Do you remember that day after your first heavy squatting session? Of course, you do. Such pain is unforgettable. CBD is also reported to help with post workout recovery by reducing inflammation and body stress.
The worst part of the post-workout aftermath is the muscle soreness caused by inflammation once you go overboard with the number of reps/sets. CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound; it modulates the endocannabinoid system in a way which boosts the immune function and effectively reduces inflammation.
So, the next time you feel like the post-workout soreness is going to get beyond ‘manageable’, you might want to add the CBD oil to your fitness regimen.
How do you feel about using CBD oil and working out? Is it something you’d like to try?
Or, maybe you’re already a big fan of this combo and have some useful tips to share?
Let us know in the comments!