Why You Should Be Using CBD For Muscle Pain And Recovery
Each year, from 2010 to 2016, 2.7 million sports injuries landed people aged 5 to 24 in US emergency departments. Football, basketball, and cycling were the top activities that led to these ED visits.
In 2017, exercise, basketball, and cycling topped the list of all causes of sports injuries. These three alone led to almost 1.5 million injuries across all ages.
While many of these injuries aren’t severe, they can still cause serious pain. At the very least, these activities can result in DOMS, or “delayed onset muscle soreness”.
The good news is, it appears that CBD for muscle pain is quite effective. Moreover, several studies found that cannabidiol can help heal muscle injury.
The big question now is, what exactly is CBD, and how does it work in the first place? What kind of benefits can it bring that would make you want to add it to your exercise regimen?
This post will take a closer look at cannabidiol, so be sure to read on!
Cannabidiol 101
The cannabis plant boasts of at least 420 constituents. Of these, at least 60 of are phytocannabinoids. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one such phytocannabinoid.
Phytocannabinoids are the most common sources of the cannabis plant’s therapeutic effects. In the case of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), these effects extend to being recreational.
CBD’s impact on the body, however, doesn’t include psychoactivity or intoxication. Researchers say that it can even reverse or counter the psychiatric effects of THC!
Why Do You Always Get Post-Workout Soreness?
In the case of DOMS, muscle pain or soreness often occurs between 24 and 72 hours after rigorous activity. It’s a regular occurrence, and thankfully, it’s also temporary. Depending on your constitution, however, the pain may last from five to seven days.
According to some studies, DOMS can be a result of microtrauma to the muscles. Microtrauma is a tiny tear in the muscles and the tissues around them. These tears can occur from the prolonged use of the muscles during rigorous exercise.
Regardless of their size, muscle microtrauma is a form of tissue injury. That’s why these tiny tears can still cause inflammation, which, in turn, can cause soreness or pain.
How Does CBD For Muscle Pain Work Then?
Many studies have long since shown that cannabidiol possesses anti-inflammatory properties. From arthritic to diabetic inflammation, CBD appears to help ease such symptoms.
Moreover, this cannabinoid has shown to help reduce various types of pain. That because CBD also boasts of analgesic effects. Meaning, it helps the body achieve analgesia, which is relief from pain.
These are some of the reasons why, in theory, CBD may help relieve the symptoms of muscle soreness. Research is ongoing, but some experts say that CBD fights pain by acting upon nerve pathways. It appears to interfere with how these pain-related pathways work.
There’s also a theory that links CBD with endocannabinoid deficiency. The reasoning behind this is that being deficient in certain endocannabinoids affects homeostasis. Without homeostasis, the body may become more prone to health problems and diseases.
In people who work out a lot, homeostatic imbalance may give rise to worse bouts of DOMS. It may even lead to other muscular maladies, such as tendinitis and spasms. As such, supplementing with CBD products may help bring back proper homeostasis.
Taking CBD Oil For Muscle Recovery
You can learn more about CBD products here, but in general, you can get CBD in oil form. CBD oil consists of CBD extracts mixed with a carrier oil to make it more bioavailable. Bioavailability refers to how well the body can absorb a particular substance.
There are several ways to take CBD oil for pain relief and inflammation, so we’ll give you a quick rundown of some of them.
Direct Consumption
You can take CBD oil or tinctures as-is through the mouth. However, the sublingual method appears to deliver the quickest pain relief results. With this, you simply place the oil (or tincture) under the tongue.
Topical Application
You can apply topical CBD products directly on the skin that covers your sore muscles. Aside from CBD oil, these topicals also include creams, lotions, and serums.
What’s great about CBD topicals is that you can also use them for massages. Massages, on their own, have shown to alleviate sore muscles. As such, the combination of CBD and massages may bring about increased pain relief.
As an Ingredient
In the world of CBD, the term “edibles” refer to food and beverages that contain CBD extracts. So long as the carrier oil used has a high smoke point, then you can cook or bake with CBD oil.
Do note that this method of administration requires more time for CBD to take effects. As such, it may be better to consume CBD edibles at a later part of your day. Doing so may also help your body recover faster while you sleep.
How About Dosing?
In scientific studies, CBD did not cause any adverse side effects in doses of 1,500 mg or below. However, it would be in your best interest to start at a lower range, especially if this is your first time using CBD.
You may want to start with 15 mg a day for the first couple of weeks. This will give your body time to acclimatize to the effects of the cannabinoid. You can then increase it in small increments until you notice a decrease in your muscle soreness.
In some cases, doctors also prescribe a specific CBD dosage to their patients. If your doctor has given you specific instructions, stick to them. This is especially true if you’re on any other medication.
Try CBD Now and See the Difference for Yourself
There you have it, your ultimate guide on why and how you should use CBD for muscle pain. Besides, CBD’s effects aren’t only for sore muscles — it has the potential to benefit the entire body. That should be enough reason for you to include it in your healthcare regimen.
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