Is CBD the New Must-Have Health and Fitness Supplement?
Every couple of years, a supplement comes along in the fitness industry that those “in the know” start to rave about. Then after a few months, the rest of the public catches on as well and the supplement begins to sell quickly off the shelves. We have all seen it firsthand before.
In the recent past, there has been creatine, prohormones, SARMS, and other products that actually deliver what they have promised and allowed a person to make significant gains in the gym. It might have meant gaining strength, muscle mass, or even increasing endurance. Whatever the case, it was refreshing to actually have a supplement live up to the hype for a change. Now, there could possibly be a new one knocking on the door.
CBD and Health Benefits
Everyone knows how CBD has exploded into the public eye over the last few years. It is literally being sold everywhere, even at the gas station down the street. (Personal rule: Never buy a hot dog or CBD at a gas station. You never know what you are really getting.) People are taking CBD to help with everything from pain, anxiety, depression, heart health, skin conditions, insomnia, and nausea. However, something that is mostly being overlooked at the moment is how CBD can benefit you during your workouts.
Quicker Recovery Time
One of the best reasons to add CBD to your daily routine for fitness purposes is how it quickens the recovery time. We have all experienced the soreness that we get after a strenuous workout. It comes with the territory. The general soreness shows that we are training hard. With this in mind, though, it can be difficult to avoid walking up and down stairs for a couple of days after a hard leg workout.
But the truth of the matter is that many of us space out our workouts simply because we get too sore to continually be training every single day. However, with CBD, you can alleviate much of that pain and be ready for the gym again in less than 24 hours.
That sore shoulder that has been bothering you off and on for months can be quieted down through CBD as this supplement can decrease inflammation greatly. Minor injuries that have kept you from lifting weights for sometimes weeks at a time can now be healed in a couple of days instead. By just taking a small maintenance daily dose of CBD, you can ensure that you will be ready to hit the gym first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
Better Sleep for Bigger Muscles
You may not equate better sleep with improving your fitness, but one goes hand in hand with the other. Muscles repair themselves while you are sleeping. Nevertheless, you need to be getting at least eight hours of sleep a night for your muscles (and your brain) to repair itself. Through taking CBD a bit before bed, you can calm your mind enough to allow your body to rest adequately.
In addition, with quality sleep, you also increase protein synthesis and your own human growth hormone. This means, basically, that your muscles are going to be growing during this time if you are combining strength training with appropriate rest. Perhaps mixing in a little CBD with your protein shake before bed will get you a few more compliments on your physique during the day.
Increase Energy
The amount of people that use pre-workout supplements is staggering. It seems there are a certain number of people that need a jolt of energy before they can begin their workout at the gym. This might come from a pre-workout shake or even a caffeine-filled soda. Unfortunately, many of these products are just packed with sugar and caffeine. If you are looking to get healthy, large doses of sugar usually is not considered your friend.
With this in mind, CBD has shown the ability to increase energy so you might just be able to skip those pre-workout drinks. Isn’t it amazing how CBD can calm your mind but provide vigor and vim at the same time? Unlike caffeine, which can make you jittery and even fill you with anxiety, CBD can act as a natural stimulant.
Your endocannabinoid system regulates how your thyroid functions (among other things). It does this by sending out cannabinoids within the body to bond with cannabinoid receptors. If you are suffering from a low amount of cannabinoids in your body, this means that you have a cannabinoid deficiency and can have you feeling sluggish. CBD is a cannabinoid and can replenish your body’s supply. This can pay off in increased energy and a stronger immune system (plus a few other things as well). Once again, adding CBD to a protein shake before your workout could be a great idea!
Lose Weight
When you think of THC and marijuana use, you picture somebody smoking up and eating a bag of Doritos and a package of Oreos on the couch without a second thought. However, CBD (without THC) has shown that is can be used as a viable appetite suppressant by temporarily blocking off the CB1 receptors in your body.
Furthermore, if you are not familiar with your good fat and bad fat in your body, white fat is the bad fat as it is linked to heart disease and other poor health conditions. Brown fat is the good fat as it actually burns calories away. One study showed that CBD can change the horrible white fat into the extremely beneficial brown fat.
While taking CBD is not a substitute for maintaining a healthy diet, it sounds like it could help you lean out more and assist you in getting rid of those last few pesky pounds.
Add It to Your Daily Routine
A supplement that can help you recover faster, increase protein synthesis and growth hormone through improved sleeping, provide additional energy, and assist you in losing weight almost sounds too good to be true. Still, CBD is said to deliver all of this. Plus, it is perfectly legal (unlike prohormones nowadays and soon to be SARMS). If CBD can indeed provide all of these benefits, then it really is a no-brainer to include in your fitness regimen.