Bodybuilders? Does cannabidiol help?

Our theme week is about how cannabidiol can support sports. There are many advantages of CBD that are interesting for athletes. From building muscles to reducing pain and better regeneration, many forums report on the successful use of CBD oil. But how is this possible and why does CBD have such a great impact on sports? We would like to explain all this in this article. 

CBD products to build muscle

First of all, CBD products are neither steroids nor anabolic steroids and therefore these products are not on the list of banned substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Nevertheless, the active ingredient from the hemp plant can be good for the muscles. But not only that, the entire body also benefits from CBD oil and other products with cannabidiol.
Bodybuilding is primarily about shaping and defining muscles. Although CBD products are not steroids or anabolic steroids, they can help muscles grow. How? Simple. CBD helps to ensure that the hormones in the body are better controlled. It also ensures that less cortisol is produced, which is then important in protein synthesis for muscles. Another point is that CBD has an anti-catabolic effect, which means that the notorious loss of muscle mass is significantly slowed down.
Another important aspect for the use of CBD oil for bodybuilders is that the active ingredient from the cannabis plant supports the regeneration of the muscles and the body. Reports say that the regeneration phase of athletes can be significantly shortened. In addition, they are more powerful afterwards. More on this later.
Scientists are currently investigating what effect CBD has on stamina and endurance. At the same time, they are investigating what effect hemp has on potency, as some athletes have to struggle with potency problems. Unfortunately, there are no results yet and we have to be patient.

How CBD helps after exercise

The regeneration phase after sport is very important. Especially those who train according to the principle of supercompensation know the importance of regeneration. The muscles are stimulated to the utmost by the training, which then means that the performance decreases at some point. Then it is time for the regeneration phase. Through this, the body and muscles recover and after regeneration the athlete is able to perform again. With the principle of supercompensation, the regeneration phase must be adhered to exactly so that the body is significantly more efficient afterwards and does not only reach the initial performance.
Supercompensation basically means that you achieve maximum performance growth by exposing yourself to a new load and thus increasing your performance more and more. However, this is only possible if the regeneration phases are meticulously observed. CBD oil can also support the regeneration of the muscles and the body. Cannabidiol has the great advantage after sport that it can also be used helpfully for numerous complaints. Due to the antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and also pain-relieving effect, CBD products are predestined for athletes.
Sore muscles, for example, can be relieved with warming CBD creams. Pain in general can be reduced by taking oil or by a massage with CBD gel. CBD can also be an important aid when injuries occur during training, so that they heal more quickly. Even stiffness and cramps can be treated with CBD products.

CBD supports weight control

Another great aspect of using CBD oil is that cannabidiol can be helpful in weight control. In various studies, it was already proven over ten years ago that CBD reduces appetite and at the same time has a positive effect on the metabolism. [1 and 2]

When taking the non-intoxicating active ingredient cannabidiol, the metabolism is thus boosted, which then also contributes to the pounds falling off. At the same time, the leptin level in the brain is supposed to increase. Leptin is a hormone that is produced by fat tissue. If body fat increases, more leptin is produced and released into the blood and transported to the brain. There, the fat content in the body is then mediated.
Furthermore, leptin also conveys a feeling of satiety. As many users report, they have significantly fewer cravings for fast food or sweets, which can then support weight control. Even though bodybuilders have to eat a lot of calories, they should be mostly healthy. Because even athletes can get a fatty liver if they eat the wrong food, despite the countless training sessions.

CBD products and the effects on stress and sleep

CBD is known to relieve pain and inhibit inflammation. The excellent effects on stress and healthy sleep are also known to many users. However, sleep in particular is of great importance and it doesn't matter whether we are talking about athletes who do sports occasionally or competitive athletes. Those who sleep poorly and do not wake up rested and well-rested in the morning are not efficient, but tired. However, in order to be able to perform at one's best the next day, CBD oil can be an important aid to improve sleep.
The same applies to stress. Athletes who are tense because a competition is coming up are not as efficient as they should be. In addition, they often have problems concentrating because the stress robs them of all their energy. To avoid this, the intake of CBD oil is recommended to benefit from the calming effect and to easily get through the competition.
Of course, CBD is not a miracle cure. Nevertheless, it can support bodybuilders and athletes can benefit from the advantages. When taking CBD oil, the product can not only relieve pain or reduce inflammation, but also improve sleep, reduce stress and contribute to regeneration at the same time. It also helps prevent cravings, which contributes to weight control. After sports, the heavily stressed parts of the body should be massaged with CBD gel or CBD cream so that the muscles can regenerate better. While it is better to use cooling CBD gels and creams for acute complaints, a warming CBD gel is recommended for inflammations or chronic pain.

Sources:

[1] Kirkham, T. (2009). Cannabinoids and appetite: food craving and food pleasure. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;21(2):163-71. doi: 10.1080/09540260902782810. 

[2] Farokhnia, M. (2020). Auswirkungen von oralem, gerauchtem und verdampftem Cannabis auf endokrine Stoffwechselwege im Zusammenhang mit Appetit und Stoffwechsel: eine randomisierte, doppelblinde, placebokontrollierte Humanlaborstudie.