There are many incredible benefits of using CBD, including promoting optimal physical and mental health. In this post, we are going to explore how CBD can help our muscles build, grow and recover to support top muscle performance.
CBD BLOCKS CATABOLIC HORMONES
If you are familiar with weightlifting and have done some research on fitness, you will know that catabolic hormones, like cortisol, negatively impact hormones for muscle growth. These hormones are not entirely a bad thing, as they are produced in our body for the purpose of helping us clear out toxins in our liver, balancing out blood sugar and helping us to improve our short-term memory. However, a balance of cortisol is extremely necessary if you are trying to reach your muscle and body building goals.
Too much cortisol leads to the breaking down of muscle tissue, leaving all your hard work falling short and impairing the growth of new muscle tissue. These levels of cortisol fluctuate throughout the day and are highest in the morning, and lowest at nighttime. That is why it is extremely important to keep your cortisol levels low throughout the day, but especially at night, so your muscles can achieve rest and recovery during sleep. Cortisol can impact sleep by not allowing true deep REM sleep to be achieved, resulting in less recovery throughout the night. CBD can help by promoting a better night’s rest and help us get into the deep REM zone so our minds can be at ease and our body can repair and build muscle tissues that break down when used during workouts.
Achieving this level of deep REM sleep is essential. Our bodies are able to augment protein synthesis that leads to the building of new muscle tissue that flourish and are most effective when cortisol is reduced to a minimum. CBD works directly with our endocannabinoid system to decrease the amount of cortisol pumped into our blood, while helping to ease our stress and anxious feeling. This also aids in keeping catabolic hormones from being produced in high quantities.
But even when we achieve good sleep and are working out intensely, cortisol can still form. Part of building muscle mass is through rigorous and intense workouts that stimulate large amounts of testosterone production. As our testosterone rises, these intense workouts also boost our cortisol since our body is going under what it considers to be stress. This boost in cortisol can almost negate the positive effects of testosterone, leaving u with less satisfying results. Taking CBD before and after working out can assist in keeping cortisol levels low, supporting the body’s production of testosterone and not be hindered by an overproduction of catabolic hormones.
ANANDAMIDE AND HOMEOSTASIS
Have you ever been on a run and got what they call a “runner’s high?” This is from what people thought was endorphins racing through your body and being released as a result of high endurance cardio runs and activity. However, in the past few years, researchers have found that the credit actually goes to the endocannabinoid system for producing the natural endocannabinoid anandamide.
This compound can be regulated by CBD and helps promote overall wellbeing and balances mood. The sudden rush of anandamide leads to a euphoric feeling that helps ease discomfort and creates a unique sensation for those who experience it. When CBD enters our body and interacts with the endocannabinoid system, homeostasis is being encouraged throughout the body, which helps to allow focusing on breathing better, increasing stamina, boosting energy levels and helping to keep muscles less swollen, so cramping does not come on as easily during workouts.
The properties of CBD also help to boost our immune system and support normal heart functioning, which are important factors in taking care of your body’s physical health. Another interesting ability CBD has is its power to help assist in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. This is important for muscle growth because when we have balanced blood sugar, less fat is being stored, which encourages more muscle growth.
If you are working towards fitness goals and want to increase your success in every area possible, CBD could be a great addition to your daily routine to help promote overall wellbeing, support muscle growth and enhance clarity and focus towards your goals.
By Megan Booth
