Can CBD Pre Workout Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals?

If you are like most fitness-minded individuals, you’ve been looking for ways to get the most out of your workout sessions. Perhaps someone has mentioned CBD pre workout supplements and you wondered what they are all about. Pre-workout supplements have become highly popular among trainers, gym-goers, athletes, and bodybuilders. This is due to their ability to improve one’s athletic performance and provide that extra boost of energy needed for challenging workouts. And given all the potential benefits of CBD products, you might be wondering whether including CBD in your pre-workout can help improve your gains. Here is everything you need to know related to CBD pre workout. 

What is Pre-Workout?

Pre-workouts, short for pre-workout supplements, are dietary formulas containing a blend of ingredients meant to boost your energy levels and improve your athletic performance. As the name suggests, pre-workouts are taken before a workout session. They typically come in powder form and are meant to mix with water that you drink. While different brands will claim to have their own unique blend of valuable ingredients, there is some consistency in the types of ingredients included. The main ingredients found in almost all pre-workouts are caffeine, creatine, and amino acids.

Pre-workouts are able to produce their effects in the body through a range of beneficial ingredients. Here, we will take a look at the common components behind the workings of pre-workouts: 

Caffeine

Caffeine is a popular stimulant in pre-workout supplements. This chemical can enhance activity in the brain and nervous system as well as stimulate the release of adrenaline and cortisol in the body. In small doses, caffeine helps to make you feel focused and refreshed. However, too much of it can make you jittery, anxious, and raise your blood pressure.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most sought-after bodybuilding supplements. It is also included as an ingredient in almost all pre-workout supplements. The body naturally produces it in high concentrations in the skeletal muscles. It is responsible for producing quick bursts of energy during intense activities and plays an important role in promoting muscle growth and strength.  

L-Arginine

L-Arginine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in building proteins in the body. It is also important in creating nitric oxide, which is responsible for improving blood flow as a vasodilator. This helps to improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Vasodilation is one of the reasons we will discuss later that CBD pre workout can be beneficial. 

Beta-Alanine

This is an amino acid the body naturally produces and helps to promote nerve signal function. Beta-alanine may help to delay the onset of muscle fatigue as well as enhance athletic performance. 

Reasons to Use Pre-Workout

There are many compelling reasons that people take pre workout supplements. These supplements offer users various benefits that are worth considering. 

To Reduce Fatigue

One of the reasons many people fail to achieve their fitness goals or stagnate is poor endurance and quick onset of fatigue. Fortunately, the amino acid, beta-alanine, contained in pre-workouts is known for its ability to improve performance and reduce fatigue during intense exercises thus helping you to get through that last mile or set. By taking a pre-workout before your workouts, you may be able to push through workouts that used to wear you out. And thanks to the caffeine and creatine, you’ll have extra energy to get you through the whole session.

To Improve Focus

It is easy to get distracted in your attempt to get fit. But thanks to the fast-acting caffeine in the pre-workout, you will be able to improve your focus and determination thus helping you to keep on track. A pre-workout can offer the perfect solution for those days your mind seems to be off and occupied. 

Do They Work?

Various studies have looked at the effectiveness of pre-workouts and the results have shown that thanks to some of the main ingredients,  pre-workouts do enhance performance in extreme athletes and bodybuilders. The studies on these products concentrated on metrics such as power, strength, endurance, the onset of fatigue, and the perception of effort. So, here’s what some of the available studies found in regards to pre-workouts:

Research

According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength Conditioning and Resistance, males who used pre-workout supplements containing caffeine were able to bench press, deadlift, and do other kinds of heavy lifting at heavier weights compared to those who used a placebo. 

In another study, runners who took caffeine supplements significantly increased their aerobic capacity. 

However, it is important to note that when taken in excessive amounts, caffeine can pose some health effects and some brands of supplements do contain high doses of caffeine as shown by research conducted by LabDoor, a supplement testing company. It is therefore important to be cautious when choosing your pre-workout supplement to ensure that the ingredients are within recommended limits. 

A 2003 study published in the Journal of Athletic Training discovered that college football players who took pre-workouts containing creatine suffered less dehydration and cramping as well as fewer injuries as opposed to players given a placebo. 

A 2002 study published in the journal of Sport Nutrition also found that creatine increased the body mass of 20 athletes and it also enabled them to achieve optimum power during short sprints.  

Research also indicates that creatine supplements helped to increase the amount of creatine that the body stores. This improves recovery time, performance, and muscle mass and strength. 

As you can see, there are some important benefits to taking pre-workouts before your workout sessions. But what about CBD pre workout? Let’s learn about CBD.

What Are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are a group of chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body. There are three main types of cannabinoids:

-Phytocannabinoids: These are cannabinoids that plants naturally produce. Cannabis contains the highest concentration of them. Currently, over 113 phytocannabinoids have been discovered. THC and CBD are the two most well-known and abundant phytocannabinoids. 

-Endocannabinoids: These are cannabinoids the body naturally produces. There are two main types of endocannabinoids: Anandamide and 2-AG. 

-Synthetic cannabinoids: Additionally, scientists can create certain artificial cannabinoids in laboratories. 

What is CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids in the Cannabis Sativa L. plant. It is the second most abundant cannabinoid after THC, however, it doesn’t cause the intoxicating effects associated with THC. 

Effects of CBD

CBD has many potential therapeutic benefits which explain why it has managed to gain such widespread attention and prompt further research into the product. Many use it to treat a wide range of conditions including pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, migraines, allergies, and epilepsy. It has also been able to help treat symptoms related to cancer treatment like nausea and even slow the growth of certain cancer cells. 

How Does CBD Work?

CBD produces its effects by interacting with cannabinoid receptors all over the body. There are two main types of cannabinoid receptors. These make up part of a complex messaging system called the endocannabinoid system. CB1 receptors are primarily present in the brain and they affect memory, thinking, pain perception, emotion, mood, movement, etc. CB2 receptors are present in the peripheral nervous system as well as the immune system. They control pain, inflammation, and other immune responses. 

While other cannabinoids, including THC, bind directly to these receptors, CBD doesn’t— mainly because it has bigger molecules. Instead, it produces its effects by influencing the action of these receptors in ways that are still somewhat mysterious.

CBD Pre Workout

There are many different kinds and brands of CBD pre workout supplements available on the market today.  You should note that they still contain the key ingredients of traditional pre-workout products. They combine things such as creatine, caffeine, and beta-alanine with the extra benefits of CBD. 

Benefits of CBD Pre Workout

Adding CBD to your pre-workout supplements brings about various benefits that go a long way in enhancing your experience. For starters, CBD pre workout may have analgesic properties. This means it may help to reduce sensitivity to muscle pain, allowing you to push yourself during workouts. Secondly, small doses of CBD can help to boost your mood and energy levels which in turn helps to boost your motivation. In addition, CBD has anti-inflammatory properties which may help to minimize discomfort from muscle soreness. 

CBD Pre Workout and Muscle Growth 

Thanks to CBD’s anti-catabolic effects, CBD pre workout may allow your body to build lean muscles more efficiently. When your body undergoes physical stress, it produces the hormone cortisol. Cortisol’s purpose is to protect the body by inhibiting protein synthesis and tissue growth, which is the opposite of what you want when working out. CBD helps to inhibit the function of this hormone, thus allowing protein synthesis and tissue growth to continue uninterrupted. 

Will It Get You High?

No, unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have the psychoactive properties that produce an intoxicating effect. Keep in mind that while CBD still affects receptors in the brain, it does so in a different way from THC. Most consider CBD pre workout safe to use and with minimal side effects.