CBD and Working Out: The Source of Post-Workout Inflammation

We’ve known that using CBD pre-workout may have benefits for quite some time now. As early as 2009, researchers were investigating the cannabinoid’s potential to impact our natural inflammatory response and support immune system functioning. Still, it’s only with the advent of expertly made, consistent and sustainable offerings such as our original and award-winning Releaf Balm or our potent and effective CBD Ingestibles that larger numbers of us are tuning in to the potential for CBD to support their fitness. How does CBD work? It all comes down to chemistry, and how our bodies leverage the power of this truly game-changing compound.

CBD is the second most common cannabinoid—or “major active ingredient”—in cannabis and its cousin, the hemp plant. And it’s designed to partner with our bodies, literally. As we’ve written previously, the endocannabinoid system (or ECS) allows cannabinoids to “speak the body’s language.”

In the ECS, cannabinoids such as CBD interact with specialized receptor cells to elicit a surprisingly wide range of effects. A large and growing body of evidence suggests CBD can support the reduction of normal inflammation and partners with the immune system to help modulate our experience of pain, sensory perception, and other crucial bodily functions. What’s more, it appears that exercise stimulates the endocannabinoid system. This in turn may boost levels of our own natural cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, to support pain-relief and anti-inflammatory responses in the body.

Speaking of inflammation, why do we tend to feel sore after a workout in the first place? In the majority of cases, it’s caused by what’s known as "delayed onset muscle soreness," or “DOMs.” In the past, many athletes turned to so-called “heat rubs” such as Bengay or Ebanel, despite the fact that many fitness experts believe there’s little evidence they really work.

Using CBD pre-workout, by comparison, gives our muscles a concentrated dose of this powerful and natural anti-inflammatory. And whether you access it through topicals or ingestibles, the place it all comes together is in the endocannabinoid system.

Now that you know the science behind using CBD pre-workout, what about actually using it? That’s the perfect opportunity for us to talk about CBD dosage.

CBD Pre-Workout: Finding Your Best Dosage

You might be wondering just how much CBD is needed to relax muscles. Because everyone’s body is different, there’s no single recommended dosage.

If you’re using an ingestible such as our CBD Releaf Oil, we recommend taking one to two dropperfuls, then repeating as needed throughout the day. For our CBD Releaf Capsules, we recommend a single capsule at a time, also repeated as needed throughout the day. If you’re using them pre-workout, we recommend you take them at least 30 minutes before exercising.

Then there are CBD topicals, including our Releaf Balm and Releaf Body Oil. Crafted from pure CBD mixed with such ingredients such as eucalyptus, tea tree, and lavender, these products deliver the healing power of CBD right to the source. We recommend you gently massage them into sore spots for 15 seconds or more. Again, waiting a short time before working out will give these products a chance to get to work, but it isn’t strictly necessary to pause.

And now there’s an all-new way to access Papa & Barkley CBD for exercise: Introducing our CBD gummies!

Our Best CBD Gummies: Targeted, Effective Relief from Symptoms

If you can’t tell, we’re thrilled to announce a whole new way to combine CBD and exercise: Our CBD Releaf Gummies. Handcrafted in small batches, these gummies are vegan and free of gluten and soy. Relying on our own premium solventless CBD, they deliver effective, sustainable support to help your muscles get ready to workout (and recover more quickly afterwards).

As with all ourCBD ingestibles, our CBD gummies deliver precise doses of cannabinoids for consistent and predictable outcomes. Each gummy contains 15mg of pure CBD. Start by taking two gummies once per day, then increase the dosage as needed. We recommend a consistent, daily CBD routine as this helps increase the efficacy of the product and produces noticeable long-term results.

CBD Gummies for Exercise and More: Specific Applications

What can products such as our CBD gummies address? Here’s a brief list of some top concerns, and how CBD can help support your overall health and wellness.

• Discomfort: In addition to helping manage the body’s normal inflammation levels, CBD works to modulate pain signals in the brain and studies suggest it may improve overall quality of life for those managing chronic discomfort

• Healthy Aging: A growing body of evidence suggests that the ECS plays a large role in maintaining healthy skin tone

• Joint Stiffness: A number of clinical studies suggest CBD may prevent nerve damage and joint pain

• Recovery: As we referenced earlier, CBD may exert reduction in normal inflammation and support post-workout recovery

• Wellness: Though it has many connotations, one important aspect of “wellness” is “good sleep.” And a number of studies point to CBD’s ability to foster deeper sleep. What’s more,another study found that those who used CBD experienced a reduction in anxiety and depression, decreased pain, and an overall improvement in their sense of wellness

CBD and Exercise: Wrapping Up

We’re incredibly proud to be California’s #1 cannabis topicals brand! It’s an honor we take seriously, and it drives us to be as transparent as possible about our ingredients and our processes. That’s a major reason we share Our Process and our Certificates of Analysis. We make them available because we consider ourselves beholden to some very important people: The tens of thousands of people who rely on our products every single day.

At Papa & Barkley, we’re committed to harnessing the power of plants as simply and safely as possible so that our whole-plant infusions contain the full spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids present in each and every plant we harvest. Our solventless extraction techniques produce a pure oil that’s as naturally rich in cannabinoids and terpenes. We believe that for our products to be good for you, they have to be good for everyone: Our customers, our workers, our neighbors and the planet.

Do you have other questions about CBD and exercise (or any other CBD or cannabis-related topics)? Just ask! We’re here to help.