3 Disadvantages Of CBD For Muscle Building

By Jessica McFly

CBD is famous for its various health benefits and is considered safe for people, but some people might have adverse reactions.

In this article, we will discuss the disadvantages of CBD for muscle building.

Investing in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight are part of our wellbeing. Most fitness enthusiasts work hard to tone their muscles by reducing body fat. It makes their bones strong, increases strength and stamina.

Bodybuilding is a whole new muscle building level that requires immense focus and a disciplined lifestyle. Diet, sleep, and supplements play a vital role throughout the process of muscle building.

One such natural supplement that is very popular among bodybuilders and athletes is cannabidiol (CBD). Before going further into how CBD affects muscle-building, let's first understand CBD.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol(CBD) is one of the primary components found in the cannabis plant. Its counterpart component is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which produces a "high" and euphoria. CBD is non-psychoactive, which is why it is famous for medicinal and recreational uses. Cannabidiol can help in treating anxiety, depression, joint pains, skin issues, and cancer-related symptoms.

The therapeutic benefits of CBD make it possible for use by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts also. They are accessible in the form of CBD oil, tinctures, weed edibles, and gummies. Most bodybuilders consume CBD by mixing CBD with their protein shakes as a post-workout meal.

However, CBD does have some disadvantages that can interfere with the muscle-building goal.

To understand CBD's disadvantages in muscle-building, let's look at the critical factors that bodybuilders should consider while building muscles.

What are the Factors Necessary for Muscle Building?

Muscle growth depends on various factors and not just on the amount of weight thrown on a barbell. Sleep and rest are the most critical factors that play a vital role in muscle growth. Staying up late can make a person feel fatigued and will delay the process of muscle recovery. Proper sleep reduces muscle fatigue, recharges the brain, increases mental alertness, and helps build muscles.

Diet is very crucial to reach the desired muscle goal. It provides fuel to the body to perform better at the gym. Muscle growth is all about the 80/20 rule. The growth of muscles depends on 80 percent on what one eats and 20 percent on their gym performance. Protein is an essential part of the diet that helps strengthen and bulk up muscle, which brings us to the last important factor, i.e., liver.

The liver, the second biggest organ in our body, plays a vital role in protein metabolism. Taking care of the liver health improves the body's capacity to generate new proteins and thus, boosting muscle building.

Any change in these factors can negatively affect the muscle-building process. Taking CBD while muscle-building can hamper some of these factors. Let's have a look at the three disadvantages of CBD for muscle building.

1. Fatigue

People know cannabidiol for its various health benefits, but sometimes, CBD can cause drowsiness and fatigue. It acts as a blood thinner, which creates a minor fall in blood pressure, leading to dizziness and light-headedness. Even though the effects are benign, working out in this situation can negatively affect the body and cause injury.

It can make a person unable to produce the force required to perform a workout. It means that the muscle is exhausted, creating a feeling of weakness in the person, causing a delay in building muscles. People who have problems with blood pressure should be extra careful while taking CBD and doing workouts. The medications for controlling blood pressure can interact with CBD making the fatigue worse. The effect lasts for a while, like up to six hours making you feel unwell.

2. Elevated Liver Enzymes

As discussed before, the liver has a vital role to play for muscle building. The plant-based product, CBD, can damage the liver just like alcohol and other drugs. The consumption of high-doses of CBD can have adverse effects on the liver. As per research, 10 percent of the participants who consumed CBD showed increased liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes show inflammation or damaged liver cells. It can cause pain in the abdomen, weakness, nausea, and vomiting. It can also affect the metabolism of protein in the body as the liver is the most important organ for making proteins.

The liver synthesizes protein using the amino acids from the food, which is then transported throughout the body to create energy. The liver also has a vital role during the detox process by maintaining a positive nitrogen balance. Nitrogen encourages amino acid development, which are the building blocks of protein. Therefore, a balance of nitrogen is essential for the production of proteins, which supports bulking up.

So, taking too much CBD can harm the liver and can be dangerous also. Take CBD moderately to avoid higher liver enzymes and for a smooth muscle build-up process. One can also enhance liver health by reducing alcohol intake, doing regular exercise, and eating healthy.

3. Loss of Appetite

One of the most pervasive cons of CBD reported by people is how it affects their appetite. Our body has an endocannabinoid system that reacts to various external components using CB receptors(CB1 and CB2). Taking CBD does not directly interact with the CB receptors in the brain, but can influence their molecules to stop the CB1 receptors. Stoping the CB1 receptors could result in a loss of hunger and inhibit the desire to eat.

A 2012 PubMed article, consuming CBD can act as an appetite suppressor. Appetite reduction might be helpful for people who want to reduce weight, but for bodybuilders, they have to consume sufficient calories to grow their muscles. Thus, consuming CBD can reduce the desire to eat a protein-filled diet, which is vital for muscle building.

Conclusion:

To summarize, while CBD has many potential health benefits, it does have a few disadvantages when it comes to building muscles. In addition to the above three problems, the excess dosage of CBD may also cause dry mouth and diarrhea. You might experience an unpleasant feeling after consuming it. Even though these problems fade with time, it is crucial to be cautious to avoid any injuries. Therefore, if you are a fitness enthusiast and planning to take CBD, do check with your physician about the right dosage.

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