The Truth about CBD for Muscle Recovery
CBD oil has become very popular in recent years. It seems everyone has jumped on CBD for muscle pain. In my field, I see more people promoting CBD for muscle recovery.
Today I will be focusing on the use of CBD oil for muscle pain and recovery. I will not discuss issues of medical marijuana, marijuana legalization or related issues since those are not within my expertise.
Instead, I will be discussing CBD and the reality of its use for muscle pain and as an exercise performance aid.
Does CBD Help Muscle Pain
Probably not. CBD oils probably only have a placebo effect on muscle pain.
My recommendation would be to avoid CBD oil at all for muscle pain and recovery. It just does not have enough high quality evidence behind it.
What is CBD?
CBD is an extract from Cannibis leaves or flowers. You can usually ingest it or use it as a cream on specific body parts.
Across different brands and CBD items, chemical formulas may differ greatly. To put it bluntly, you might not even know what you are buying or how much CBD is even in the products you might purchase.
Why is CBD so Popular for Muscle Pain and Recovery?
CBD oil has gained a lot of media attention in the past couple years, but why?
I think the popularity of CBD has to do with a few things.
- Many people are beginning to desire natural treatments for pain and other ailments.
- The Opioid Crisis caused many people to distrust pharmacological treatments for pain.
- The weed industry is having some medical lobbying success.
- Professional athletes and media influencers have something to gain by promoting CBD products.
What is the Promise of CBD?
CBD oil has been touted as a recovery tool for muscle pain and improved performance. Sportspeople have marketed it as giving them a distinct edge over their competitors, but there is not much evidence that CBD is actually a good tool to improve performance or reduce muscle pain.
How is CBD actually sold?
CBD is usually sold as an oil, but the specific amount of CBD in any oil you purchase might be unclear. Because of a lack of regulation in the CBD oil market, it is likely that many of the CBD products on the market have so little CBD in their products that they are essentially useless anyway.
These CBD products are often labeled as homeopathic remedies for pain, alongside other homeopathic treatments like Fish Oil and Shark Cartilage.
Homeopathy in the United States
So why does it matter if CBD products are labeled as supplements anyway? In the United States, supplement companies can avoid FDA testing and regulation of safety. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, there is no burden to prove that products are either safe or effective.
They can just slap a “Not evaluated by the FDA for safety or effectiveness” label on their products.
In truth, many of these supplements are flat out ineffective and don’t live up to their marketing promises.
Not only that, but these products often have potentially dangerous side effects.
CBD itself may actually interfere with prescription medications.
Is CBD Even Effective for Pain?
CBD is likely not even effective for muscle pain, even in larger doses.
The clinical research and evidence shows very little promise for CBD for muscle or joint pain. It’s incredibly likely that CBD provides no significant benefit for pain relief or muscle recovery, besides a placebo benefit.
Why is CBD Being Touted as a Cure All?
Because supplements and homeopathic products are not heavily regulated in the United States, CBD manufacturers can get away with marketing these products without really backing up their claims.
Additionally, supplement companies have a great deal of leeway in how much of an active ingredient they even include in their products, so they could get away with selling CBD oils that are so dilute as to not even contain any active ingredient at all.
Final Thoughts
Little evidence exists to suggest CBD oil will help muscle recovery and pain. You are better off eating well, getting enough sleep and following a good training program.
