Pushing your body to its limit helps build strength and endurance. However, those benefits often come with a price, pain, stiffness, and temporarily reduced strength. Whether you’re trying to increase your activity levels gradually, starting a new fitness routine, or training for a competition, the inflammation-induced discomfort that helps protect your overworked body can interfere with your performance goals, maybe even keep you on the sidelines.
Although you could use an over-the-counter medication to help alleviate occasional discomfort, frequent use can cause a considerable number of alarming side effects. Instead of reaching for the same bottle of pills you’ve likely relied on for years, maybe it’s time to consider trying a natural, plant-based alternative – CBD.
Based on data collected from an internal survey of 2000 CBD users, 88% prefer CBD over turmeric for activity-induced inflammation. That in itself says a lot. The active phyto-compound in turmeric, curcumin, is shown to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that help support muscle recovery, accelerate healing, and decrease exercise-induced oxidative stress.1
How Inflammation Can Slow Recovery
Inflammation is a defense mechanism; one of the many ways your immune system protects your body. There are two types, chronic and acute. Chronic inflammation, the type of inflammation triggered by autoimmune disorders, excess weight, stress, or too little sleep, is linked to a wide range of health concerns. Increasing activity levels can help reduce your risk of chronic inflammation.2
Overworked muscles and joints are susceptible to acute inflammation, the same type of inflammation you’d experience with a twisted ankle, broken bone, or infection. This short-lived inflammatory response helps protect injured tissues from further damage.
The discomfort you feel is caused by microscopic injuries to muscle fibers. On the plus side, as blood flow increases to your injured muscles, specialized white blood cells remove cellular debris and initiate repairs. But there’s a catch. The inflammation that helps repair muscles damaged during strenuous activity can also cause secondary damage to surrounding tissues.
Secondary damage is believed to be caused by the free radicals released by the white blood cells repairing injured tissues. Engaging in similarly intense physical activity before inflammation subsides and muscles and joints recover can cause a continuous cycle of tissue trauma and chronic inflammation.3
So, where does hemp-derived CBD fit into the picture?
What is Hemp-Derived CBD?
CBD (cannabidiol) is the most abundant of more than 100 plant-based cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids) found naturally in cannabis. Although there are two possible sources, hemp, and marijuana, the oil extracted from industrial hemp does not contain enough THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) to cause intoxication. To be classified as industrial hemp, the plant’s THC content cannot exceed 0.3 percent.
Once crops have matured, the cannabinoid-rich oil is extracted from the stems, stalks, and flowers of the plant. That extracted oil is used to make a wide range of popular health and wellness products, CBD tinctures, topicals, capsules, and more. However, anyone concerned about the trace amounts of THC in full-spectrum products should consider selecting from options made with 0% THC* broad-spectrum CBD oil or 0% THC CBD isolate.
Why Are People Using CBD for Inflammation?
People today tend to gravitate towards natural health and wellness products. Current data suggests these health-conscious consumers are more interested in addressing the cause of their distress than managing individual symptoms. They’re also increasingly likely to turn to natural health and wellness options that support mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.4
After investigating their options, adults of all ages are turning to hemp-derived CBD products. Based on the feedback of 2000 CBD users, survey participants tell us that reducing inflammation after physical activity is just one of several reasons they typically use CBD. Our survey respondents also report using CBD for less activity-related stiffness and discomfort, better sleep, and to feel more relaxed.
Are CBD Products Safe for Everyone?
CBD is a safe, natural plant-based option that is well-tolerated by most people. The risk of even mild side effects is impressively low. Our internal survey reveals that 93 percent of the CBD users responding have never experienced negative side effects. Of those who might experience a dry mouth, fatigue, or digestive upset from CBD, cutting back on serving sizes typically resolves any issues.
However, CBD-infused products may not be right for everyone. The World Health Organization points out that side effects from CBD use are typically caused by the botanical’s interaction with over-the-counter and prescription medications.5 If you have a medical condition or take medication, it’s best to talk with your health care provider before adding CBD to your daily routine.
What Does the Research Say About CBD and Activity-Induced Inflammation?
While it’s easy to find an impressive number of user testimonials reporting favorable results, there are relatively few reports specifically focused on activity-induced inflammation or post-workout recovery. However, numerous studies dating as far back as 2009 seem to confirm earlier observations of CBD’s anti-inflammatory potential.
Selecting the CBD Product That’s Right for You
CBD oil is remarkably versatile, so it’s easy to find an appealing product that suits your needs and your lifestyle. Although many first-time CBD users begin their journey with a CBD oil tincture, you might prefer the convenience of a pre-measured capsule or treating yourself to a bottle of delicious CBD gummies. For more precise effects, a way to soothe specific areas of your body, consider the targeted benefits of a CBD topical. The choice is yours.
You can use CBD daily or as needed. However, our survey results revealed that people using CBD daily tend to find their products more effective than survey respondents using CBD as needed. Most daily users felt the results of their CBD within 7-14 days of consistent use.
Of course, the purity and potency of the products you select will have a significant impact on your overall experience. For high-quality CBD products at reasonable prices, visit CBDistillery™ to view our assortment of CBD tinctures, capsules, gummies, and our expanded selection of CBD-infused topical products. All CBDistillery™ products are crafted from naturally cultivated industrial hemp grown on American soil, third-party tested, and US Hemp Authority™ certified. You can verify our commitment to quality by viewing the third-party test results on our product pages or scanning the QR code on your product label.
*Third-party tested to ensure non-detectable levels of THC (less than .01%)
Additional Sources:
- WellSeek. M Radloff. (2019 May 04) Here’s How Turmeric Can Boost Recovery for Athletes.
- Harvard Health. (2020 April) Understanding Acute and Chronic Inflammation.
- Active. M Fitgerald. (2020) Is Inflammation Holding You Back?
- Investopedia. S Delventhal. (2020 February 29) New Generation of Consumers Increase Demand for Natural Products.
- World Health Organization. (2018 June) Cannabidiol (CBD) Critical Review Report.
The post Body Pushed to Capacity? How CBD Could Help Soothe Inflammation appeared first on #CBDMOVEMENT™ BLOG.