Can CBD Oil Help Build Muscle?

Written by Cathy Rozyczko — Edited by Jason Brett on September 27, 2021

If you’re an athlete or fitness enthusiast who has heard about the many health benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), you may have wondered if CBD oil can help build muscle. There are a growing number of people who are looking to CBD oil not only to build upon existing muscle but also to regain muscle mass that was lost due to illness or injury.

While there’s still more research that needs to be done, the current science seems to suggest that CBD oil has properties that can help build muscle.

Benefits of Using CBD Oil to Help Build Muscle

The importance of muscle mass is two-fold. As the CBD oil sets to work helping you build muscle, fat is more readily burned for fuel due to the energy it takes to both produce and maintain muscles. This, in turn, speeds up your metabolism. The combination of increased muscle and decreased fat results in a leaner, stronger figure which is not only ideal for those who have physical jobs and hobbies, but also for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of weight-related illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.

Building muscle can also help improve bone density, which is of particular benefit to the elderly who may contract to osteoporosis due to lack of muscle mass. Using CBD oil can help some of these vulnerable populations more easily build muscle and manage inflammatory pain, potentially avoiding these significant health risks.

The most common method for building muscle is through resistance and strength training, typically coupled with a high-protein diet. Unfortunately, for some people, building muscle is not so straightforward. No matter who you are or how frequently you exercise, it’s likely that you’ll hit a wall in your progress; or, you may have a health condition that prevents you from pushing your body to the extent required to build muscle.

When people have trouble gaining or retaining muscle mass, testosterone and human growth hormone supplements are sometimes prescribed. This is especially common for people with sarcopenia, which is the natural loss of muscle tissue that happens as you age.

Unfortunately, there are negative side effects tied to these treatments including nerve, muscle, and joint pain, high cholesterol, aggression, and changes to reproductive organs. Because of the adverse side effects, testosterone and human growth hormone supplements are not ideal treatment options.

Using CBD oil to help build muscle could provide a far more natural treatment option for you without any of the negative side effects associated with the use of hormones. You should still take the precautionary step of talking to your doctor before using CBD oil, as it may interact with other medications you’re already taking.

How Effective is CBD Oil at Building Muscle?

The first thing to understand about CBD oil’s impact on muscle building and growth is the role that catabolic hormones play in the human body.

Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone” because it’s released during stressful situations, is one catabolic hormone that plays an important role in many parts of the body, including the immune system and liver. However, it can also reduce the synthesis of protein and prevent the growth of new tissues, both key elements of building muscle.

CBD oil is an anti-catabolic, meaning it helps regulate the levels of hormones like cortisol present in your system. By taking CBD oil, cortisol levels are kept at bay, allowing for increased muscle growth and protein synthesis over the course of the day.

Alongside the role CBD oil plays in regulating catabolic hormones, CBD oil allows for a more restful sleep. During sleep, your body does most of the work required to build and repair muscle tissue. Unfortunately, as much as 25% of U.S. adults struggle to achieve the deep REM sleep the body requires to do this muscle-building work.

By taking CBD oil, not only can you reduce cortisol fluctuations during the day, but also allow your body to rest deeply at night, thereby amplifying your efforts to build muscle mass day in and day out.

How to Use CBD Oil to Build Muscle

People who may benefit the most by using CBD oil as a muscle building aid broadly fall into two categories: those who want above-average muscle tone and those who are suffering from below-average muscle tone and need additional support.

Bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts can use CBD oil to help reduce cortisol levels during high-intensity workouts.  Doing so may elicit better muscle tissue growth while also preventing retention of cortisol-related fat. And there’s the added benefit of a more restful  night’s sleep, which means better conditions for nocturnal muscle growth, too.

The elderly, those in poor health, or people recovering from an injury can use CBD oil to not only reap the benefits mentioned above but to find potential relief from pain, inflammation and even fatigue, allowing for a more active lifestyle or workout regimen.

Regardless of the reasons for your wanting to take CBD oil to build muscle, the method by which you choose to ingest it will be a personal choice. If you’re focused on fitness, taking CBD gummies or smoking a CBD vape may not be your first choice. While vaping CBD oil is safe in theory, sometimes it’s difficult to know if there are additives in the oil that could negatively impact your health. This is why you should check a company's ratings and reviews before purchasing any type of CBD product.

CBD drops and capsules may be a good place to start if you’re considering using CBD oil. Both are discreet and will last for a few hours (likely long enough to last through your workout). At the end of the day, it’s up to you to try out different CBD oil products and decide which is best for your needs.

When it comes to dosage, always follow the recommendation on your CBD product; if you’re having trouble finding a place to start, we at CBD Oil Review recommend the following, having reviewed hundreds of CBD brands and products:

The CBD Oil Review Serving Standard is 25 mg of CBD taken twice daily.

If you’re not getting the results you’d like, increase your dosage by 25 mg every 3-4 weeks until you find the amount that works for you.

Should you have further questions or want a more personalized approach to creating your CBD oil regimen, consider speaking to a naturopathic doctor.

Is CBD Oil Legal for Athletes?

The simple answer is yes, CBD oil is legal for athletes. However, there are some exceptions so CBD oil products must be chosen with care.

While CBD oil is legal in most states, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabinoid found in cannabis, has a different set of restrictions. The USADA’s anti-doping rules list THC as a prohibited substance.

While many CBD oil products market themselves as being completely free of THC, the lack of regulation in the industry means some producers may allow THC to slip through. If you are an athlete who wishes to use CBD oil to build muscle, choose a CBD oil isolate that is free from THC and comes from a reputable company that posts Certificates of Analysis so you can be sure of exactly what is—or is not—in your CBD oil.

If you found this article interesting, you may also like to read:

• CBD Oil for Pain
• CBD Oil In Sports: Performance, Recovery, and Controversy
• CBD Oil for Inflammation
• CBD Oil Dosage: How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?

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