The Post-Workout Supplement That You Need
You added a few more rounds of squats and lunges to your workout yesterday and now your muscles are feeling the burn! Whether you started a new workout routine or stretched a little further in your last yoga class, it’s not unusual to experience stiff muscles and soreness for a couple of days after. In fact, it’s inevitable, but it’s a good thing. It’s called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS for short, and it happens from overworking a muscle or muscle group. The area becomes sore and the body sends things like white blood cells, nutrients, anti-inflammatory agents, and fluids to help repair it.
There are ways to relieve the aches and pains of DOMS, from stretching and foam rolling, to supplements and Epsom salt baths. But it might be time to add CBD to that list. Recently, more professional athletes—including NFL and NHL players—have been advocating for CBD use because of its healing properties and potential to speed up muscle recovery. People seemed to listen because, in 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its list of banned substances. Even more good news is that you don’t have to be a professional athlete to experience the benefits of CBD with muscle soreness.
Start small: CBD dosing can be tough to navigate, because everybody reacts differently to it. Start off small and increase the dosage over a few days if you’re not seeing the relief you want. A good rule of thumb is to start with 5-10mg and keep a journal. Increase by 5mg each dose until you find your sweet spot. CBD is not a product where more is necessarily better. Find your sweet spot and stick to it, if you take more it could have sedative effects.
Soak it in: Try adding CBD to your next bubble bath—the same way you would with Epsom salt. The warm water will soothe muscles and the CBD can help relax them.
Spa day: Some spas offer CBD massages, so if you feel like pampering yourself after a good workout, this is a great option.
Hit the Hay: If you’re new to CBD, we suggest trying it first before bed. Some people have found that it has sleep-inducing, relaxation effects—and the extra sleep can help alleviate DOMS more quickly!
There are ways to relieve the aches and pains of DOMS, from stretching and foam rolling, to supplements and Epsom salt baths. But it might be time to add CBD to that list. Recently, more professional athletes—including NFL and NHL players—have been advocating for CBD use because of its healing properties and potential to speed up muscle recovery. People seemed to listen because, in 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its list of banned substances. Even more good news is that you don’t have to be a professional athlete to experience the benefits of CBD with muscle soreness.
Tips for Using CBD for Muscle Soreness
Topical, oil or supplements: Just because it’s for your muscles, doesn’t mean you have to apply CBD topically to help with soreness (though you can!). Taking a CBD oil or supplement may also reduce muscle soreness, plus some added possible benefits for your mood.Start small: CBD dosing can be tough to navigate, because everybody reacts differently to it. Start off small and increase the dosage over a few days if you’re not seeing the relief you want. A good rule of thumb is to start with 5-10mg and keep a journal. Increase by 5mg each dose until you find your sweet spot. CBD is not a product where more is necessarily better. Find your sweet spot and stick to it, if you take more it could have sedative effects.
Soak it in: Try adding CBD to your next bubble bath—the same way you would with Epsom salt. The warm water will soothe muscles and the CBD can help relax them.
Spa day: Some spas offer CBD massages, so if you feel like pampering yourself after a good workout, this is a great option.
Hit the Hay: If you’re new to CBD, we suggest trying it first before bed. Some people have found that it has sleep-inducing, relaxation effects—and the extra sleep can help alleviate DOMS more quickly!
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