By Grace Hawkins
Many people know about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis when it comes to pain and anxiety management.
But, do you know cannabis can be equally effective in your fitness journey too?
Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, is attracting fitness enthusiasts all over the world.
The body of a fitness enthusiast goes through a lot of wear and tear during workouts. There are chances of injury, delayed muscle recovery, muscle spasms, and muscle soreness.
If you are a fitness enthusiast looking to enhance your fitness level, then have a look at the following seven reasons why CBD is a blessing for your fitness regime.
1. CBD Might Assist in Weight loss
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the primary reasons for working out. But exercise alone does not yield any significant weight loss.
Diet and nutrition also play a vital role in achieving fitness goals. Studies state that regulating calorie intake backed by regular exercise is essential to losing weight.
However, a workout can cause a rise in appetite leading to overeating, which defeats the purpose of losing weight. One has to follow a calorie deficit diet and curb appetite to lose weight efficiently.
So, how does CBD help lose weight?
Consuming CBD can be an effective way to stop the habit of munching. According to a study, rats showed a decrease in hunger when ingested with CBD.
It regulates and blocks the CB1 receptors, which reduces the desire to eat. Apart from this, studies show that CBD encourages browning of fat.
While exercising, the human body converts white fat into brown fat, but taking CBD can stimulate the process. Thus, using CBD can be an efficient way to maintain weight for fitness lovers.
2. Can Boost the Runner's High
The brain releases endorphins after a moderate-intensity workout, giving a pleasant feel, also called the Runner's High.
It is this euphoric feeling that pushes us to continue training, helps train longer, and adds on to a fit body.
So, how does CBD help in Runner's High?
The Runner's High stimulates the endocannabinoid receptors(ECS) in the brain. Cannabidiol combines with these receptors and boosts the Runner's High.
Therefore, taking CBD as a pre-workout supplement can motivate a person to enjoy the workout, thus encouraging them to hit the gym regularly.
3. Can Speed Up Muscle Recovery
Workouts often result in pain or injury to various muscles. To avoid further inflammation, one must give their body enough time to rest for recovery.
However, the recovery process may take a long time as high-intensity exercises create cortisol(stress hormone) that limits protein synthesis, delaying the growth of new cells.
As a result, muscle recovery time can interrupt your regular fitness routine.
So, how can CBD reduce your muscle recovery time?
Adequate sleep and cool down exercises can help in the healing process, but when a person takes CBD after an exercise, the recovery process speeds up.
Studies show that cannabidiol has anti-catabolic traits that can control the cortisol levels in the body.
Regulating optimum cortisol levels, initiates protein synthesis, and promotes muscle revival, thus, aiding faster muscle recovery.
Many professional athletes have, therefore, started smoking pot for pre and post-workout schedule.Alternatively,those who don't like to smoke can go for CBDfx gummies and reap similar benefits.
4. CBD Might Enhance Sleep
Sleep plays a crucial role in the physical and mental wellbeing of a person. Inadequate sleep can lower energy levels, immunity, decrease alertness, and slow down muscle recovery after an exercise.
A rise in cortisol levels might be the reason that keeps a person up all night.
So, how can CBD help you sleep?
As addressed in the above pointer, CBD regulates the cortisol levels, promoting better sleep. CBD when taken before hitting the bed, can induce sleep and improve insomnia.
It also improves sleep latency and the REM cycle that elevates focus and brain cognitive abilities, both of which are essential during workouts.
5. CBD Might Improve Heart Health
Regular workouts get the heart pumped up and adapted to holding and pumping more blood.
High-intensity exercises can strengthen the heart muscles and maintain cholesterol and glucose levels. However, regular strenuous exercise can be stressful for the heart.
So, how does CBD help relieve the strain on your heart?
Studies show that CBD can help relax the blood vessels, increasing the blood flow to the various organs.
It also reduces the heart's pressure of pumping blood by acting as a vasorelaxant and increasing blood flow.
When the blood circulation to the entire body increases, the person feels less tired and builds stamina to train for a longer duration.
Cannabidiol promotes the generation of red blood cells which transports oxygen to every cell of the body. Thus, CBD can keep the heart healthy throughout the fitness journey.
6. CBD Can Ease Performance Anxiety
People who are in the sports industry work diligently to maintain a well-developed physique.
Every sportsperson feels uneasy before a performance, whether it is a footballer or marathon runner. Some athletes manage their anxiety by meditating and focusing on their breathing.
So, how can CBD help athletes with performance anxiety?
Studies state that CBD can instill a feeling of calmness and reduce discomfort, anxiety, and nervousness in a person.
Cannabidiol has antidepressant features that initiate blood flow to the part of the brain that incites anxiety.
Thus, CBD can improve the cognitive ability of the person and increase the chances of succeeding in a sports activity. CBD might even help in easing the situation for people with a social anxiety disorder.
7. Can Help Maintain healthy joints while working out
Exercising helps keep joints healthy and flexible. But working out with arthritis can be difficult due to the joint pain and stiffness.
While moderate exercises can help reduce arthritis symptoms, it can also increase joint pains in some cases.
Furthermore, when obese people try to lose fat in the initial days, the weight of the body puts immense pressure on the knee joints.
So, how can CBD take care of your joints?
Preclinical studies suggest that CBD has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can reduce chronic arthritic pain.
Conclusion:
These are the reasons why you can use CBD as a new holistic supplement to enhance your fitness routine. The easiest way to include CBD in a fit lifestyle is by adding it in protein shakes, salad, soups, and juices.
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