Did you know that our body contains over 650 muscles?

Often making up half of our body weight, it’s fascinating how our muscles actually work and become conditioned. They must go through hard work, damages, and repairs in order to become stronger. And while that’s the ultimate goal, it doesn’t feel so great throughout the process.

Luckily, there are some non-habit forming alternatives that athletes can turn to help improve performance.

What is Hemp? 

Hemp is one of the many varieties of the cannabis plant that is non-intoxicating. Instead of containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical that gives you a “high” feeling, hemp is composed of cannabidiol (CBD).

Hemp has been used to treat a wide range of health conditions from stress and anxiety to skin problems and inflammation. It’s also being studied to prove that it contains properties that contribute to reduced risks of illnesses like cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

What are the Effects of Using Hemp? 

Hemp contains 0.3% or less THC, therefore it’s used in several natural remedies. Hemp oil differs from CBD oil in that CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant and then combined with a base like coconut oil or olive oil. Hemp oil is often used in foods because of its own unique properties; however, the effects are often the same as CBD oil.

In animal studies, hemp has shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke. It’s also been used to improve skin conditions like eczema. While research and data are slim on hemp being used to treat health conditions, testimonials from users show that hemp has efficiently helped those with anxiety, asthma, arthritis, and more.

How Does Hemp Affect Performance If You Take It Before Working Out? 

Athletes that use hemp, or cannabis, can reap several benefits when they take it before a workout. Cannabis is said to increase blood flow and cause the brain to produce more feel-good endorphins. It’s also been said to combat pain by relaxing muscles and reducing anxiety – all of which helps athletes improve performance.

Here are just a few ways taking hemp pre-workout may affect performance:

• Ease Muscle Tension
• Reduce Anxiety
• Alleviate Stress
• Combat Pain
• Improve Sleep
• Reduce Inflammation

How Does Hemp Affect Recovery If You Take It after Working Out? 

While using Hemp before a workout presents many benefits, you can also use it for after a workout. In addition to relieving anxiety and promoting better sleep habits, many athletes admit to using it for muscle recovery and pain relief.

Here are a few ways taking hemp post-workout may affect performance:

• Relieve Muscle Tension and Soreness
• Stimulate Mobility
• Reduce Inflammation
• Reduces Overall Pain in Muscles and Joints

Is it Better to Take it Before or After Working Out?

If you’re looking to use Hemp or CBD to improve performance, then taking it before working out may be the best option. Taking it before working out allows it to get in your system, helping reduce inflammation and anxiety.

However, if you’re looking to ease muscle tension and soreness, it’s often best to take it post-workout. Salves, like our 300mg Full Spectrum CBD Salve is great for targeting specific areas.

Hemp and CBD can be introduced throughout any training, performance or recovery routine but using it before or after workouts are most popular because of the targeted effects. By taking Hemp regularly, you can reduce the onset and severity of symptoms. Whether you apply it topically to the affected areas, ingest CBD oil before workouts or take pre-workout CBD capsules and you’ll start focusing less on pain and more on improving performance.

What Kind of CBD is Best for Athletes? 

To find the best type of CBD for athletes, there are a few things you should consider like hemp quality, sourcing, third-party lab testing results and the form of hemp you are going to consume.  Different forms, such as oils, creams, and capsules all affect athlete’s differently, so starting with basic research is best for finding the best CBD for athletes.

For muscle soreness, we recommend using a Full Spectrum CBD Salve. For both pre-workout and post-workouts, we recommend one of our Hemp CBD oils. At Medical Mike’s, you never have to worry about quality with our products. You just have to find the dosage that works best for your body!

What to Look for & Where to Find Hemp Products 

Understanding Hemp labels can be a little complicated since the FDA hasn’t regulated any nonprescription CBD products. Rather than relying on labels – which are often misleading - it’s up to you to do your research and rely on third-party testing to determine the quality of CBD products.

At Medical Mike’s our Hemp CBD products only feature pure and simple ingredients that include CBG (Cannabigerol) combined with coconut MCT oil. And like all our products, our full spectrum CBG is sourced from organic hemp farms, made in New York, and always third-party tested. 

Learn more about our products and third-party testing by contacting our team. We are more than happy to help!