Whether hitting the gym for aesthetic reasons or heading out on a bike ride for social ones, sport and exercise hold a special place in the UK’s heart. Over seven million of us regularly pull on our trainers and go running, while 6.4m people participate in a fitness class at least twice a month.

Team sports are popular too, with 1.4m footballers, and almost 900,000 golfers and 700,000 tennis players too. Plus, we have over 7.5m cyclists on our roads and trails, whether that’s for sport, exercise or just getting about.

Part of keeping active is making sure we’re in the best shape to do so. Whether that’s being properly rested, making sure we’ve dealt with any aches and pains, or just ensuring we’re in the right frame of mind (some people find even the thought of exercising triggering).

A supplement that’s increasing in popularity is CBD. It’s the short name for a substance called cannabidiol - one of the most abundant ‘cannabinoid’ compounds extracted from cannabis plants. Don’t be put off by that though, CBD doesn’t produce any intoxicating effects, rather it interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), and can potentially aid accelerated recovery, better sleep and reduced stress.

Increasingly, pro athletes are going on the record to say how useful they find CBD for managing their training load, sleep and anxiety, but it can be just as effective for us weekend warriors too. Here’re four examples of when CBD can support our rather more modest fitness goals.

Help ongoing injuries

Even though the most active age group in the UK are 25-34 year olds , the older generations are not far behind. And with age comes the potential of injury and having to put up with long-term ache and pains. An increased awareness of the negative side effects of over-the-counter and prescription medicines has people looking for natural remedies in preference to synthetic drugs. Which is why CBD’s proven analgesic properties make it a good alternative to pain-killers such as NSAIDS.

Aid muscle growth

If you’re looking to build muscle, then what you do in the gym is only part of the process. Making sure conditions in your body are right for your muscle fibres to knit back together bigger and stronger is key.

Any form of high-intensity exercise will put stress on the body, which in turn produces free-radicals. These can cause oxidative stress, which can reduce the amount of muscle-building testosterone you have in your body. CBD has been shown to counter the effects of oxidative stress , as has Manuka honey, which is why Manuka Pharm’s Cooling and Warming Rub Ease Gels are an ideal combination for aching muscles.

Keeps your training on track

Inflammation is part and parcel of exercise, and a little bit can be good for muscle adaptation. But too much can be debilitating – if you’ve ever experienced Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) then you’ll know what I mean. It can result in missing sessions or, if you make it to a session, a reduction in performance.

CBD has been shown to suppress inflammation as well as help with any post-training related pain , removing any excuse you may have for skipping training. Manuka Pharm’s Joint Supplement is a great way to enjoy these anti-inflammatory benefits in a handy one a day routine.

Help with anxiety and aid sleep

Exercise-induced anxiety is more common than you may think – for some people it can stop them exercising completely. At the other end of the spectrum, anxiety can also be caused by ‘game-day stress’ before an important fixture. CBD has been shown to support your parasympathetic nervous system , which counteracts your fight or flight response. So if you do suffer from nerves before a big event, then CBD can help relax you and keep your focus.

CBD can also aid more peaceful sleep, which is also an important part of the recovery process, allowing our bodies to repair the damage caused by intense training or effort. Using Manuka Pharm’s Relax Sleep Spray before bed can help us get to sleep and stay asleep.

With unique formulations designed to support sports, muscle health, sleep, or general wellbeing Manuka Pharm’s CBD range has a product tailored to help you.

All created with pure CBD / 0% THC and Genuine Manuka honey.