Whether sculpting your abs in the gym or building your calves on the trails, exercise is hard work. People commit to all the sweat and, let’s face it, the soreness for a variety of reasons, from looking like a supermodel to maintaining mobility as they age. That said, to get the gains you want, it’s important to focus on muscle recovery.
Key Takeaways
- Recovery starts with a foundation of nutrition and rest.
- Use supplements like protein for repair and creatine for energy.
- Explore traditional botanicals to support post-workout wellness and relaxation.
As you curl those dumbbells or scurry up that rock face, you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. Muscle recovery is the body’s natural rebuilding process that follows those tough gym classes. This process includes the body’s inflammatory response, which is then followed by muscle repair and, ultimately, growth.
You don’t have to participate in the recovery process. Your body is a natural and miraculous workhorse. But, if you want to give the recovery process a little boost and possibly limit the drawbacks of exercise, like soreness, then consider taking a variety of natural dietary supplements.
Using Natural Supplements for Muscle Recovery
So, how can a powder or capsule actually help you recover after a grueling workout? Simple: each supplement has a very specific job.
Some are non-negotiable, like protein, which your body needs to repair muscle tissue. Others are performance enhancers, like creatine, which helps refuel your muscles on a cellular level. Each supplement offers a unique kind of support, and the following six are among the most beneficial.
1. Whey Protein: The Building Block of Muscle Repair
Whey (pronounced like “no way”) protein is a staple in body-building circles. While it doesn’t come from the most glorious of sources (it’s an offshoot of the cheese-making process), it does contain the nine amino acids the body is incapable of making on its own, including those ever-vital branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are so crucial to muscle repair.
2. Creatine Monohydrate: A Tool for Energy Production
You might see people taking creatine monohydrate supplements before a workout, but the supplement is just as effective for post-workout recovery. The nature of the substance screams pre-workout strategy because it plays a vital role in energy production within muscles, regenerating adenosine triphosphate (just a fancy phrase for the energy source of muscle contractions).
The thing is, your muscles need just as much attention post-workout, after you’ve expended these energy stores. By taking creatine, you can replenish these stores and more.
3. Tart Cherry: A Natural Approach to Soreness
When most people think of cherries, they think of sundae toppers and red fingers. Your mind might even wander toward the sweet maraschinos skewered by toothpicks and surrounded by rings of pineapple on that Easter ham at Aunt Jenny’s. But, alas, those are not the cherries that aid in muscle recovery.
No, for muscle recovery, you want sweet cherry’s cousin, tart cherry. More specifically, you want the juice. Tart cherry juice contains a high concentration of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.
Sipping some tart cherry juice after a workout can lower levels of C-reactive proteins, an inflammatory marker, and even improve muscle function. Essentially, tart cherries can equate to less inflammation, reduced soreness, and faster recovery.
4. Turmeric (Curcumin): The Golden Spice of Recovery
If you like to add a little spice to life, then this next supplement is right up your alley. Turmeric is a golden spice often used to add a touch of flavor and color to a dish. It has a similar flavor to pepper, but with a more earthy undertone.
The beauty of turmeric for muscle recovery isn’t found in its flavor profile, however, it’s found in its unique makeup. See, turmeric contains curcumin, which is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Similar to tart cherry juice, it can reduce inflammation and speed recovery along.
5. Oregon Hemp Flower: Cannabinoids and Recovery
Not all natural supplements have a ton of research or anecdotal evidence to back up claims, especially those that had a rocky road to legalization, like cannabinoids. Still, according to an analysis of the role of cannabidiol on sports recovery by Daniel Rojas-Valverde, CBD “has been shown to have specific properties that help to treat chronic pain, spasticity, mood and sleep disorders, immunodepression, inflammation, oxidant effects, and anxiety in clinical patients.” There is growing evidence that cannabidiol found in Oregon Hemp Flower and other high-quality CBD flower varieties is beneficial to muscle recovery. The theory is that CBD may help regulate the body’s inflammatory response, leading to less soreness.
Obviously, it’s important to stay informed about research in the CBD field, as it is a relatively young field. If you choose to use cannabinoids, remember that everyone is different. Talk to your primary care physician. That goes for taking any supplement. Your healthcare provider is your best friend when it comes to verifying different supplement claims.
6. Mitragyna Speciosa (Kratom): A Botanical for Post-Activity Wellness
Another relative newcomer to the list of muscle recovery supplements is kratom, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Traditionally, people would chew the leaves of the tree, and it was said to combat fatigue and improve energy. More recently, people have transitioned from chewing the leaves to manufacturing various kratom products, such as powders and capsules.
The compounds in kratom are said to be analgesic, meaning they can provide pain relief and sedation. For the recovery process, this is beneficial, but it’s important to remember that kratom research, like cannabinoid research, is in its infancy. So, be cautious about any claims, and find products from reputable suppliers who operate with transparency and third-party lab testing.
Creating a Recovery Routine That Works for You
What you take away from this article shouldn’t be a definitive list of the supplements you must take to improve muscle recovery. No. What you should take away is that natural supplements can complement the body’s natural processes.
As far as whether the above supplements are right for you and your workout goals, that depends. Fitness, as with most things in life, doesn’t follow a “magic bullet” approach. It’s unique to the individual. As you create your recovery routine, talk to a medical professional about the above supplements. See how they would suggest moving forward. Remember that, while some people may pursue exercise for vanity (which is not a problem), it is most notably a pursuit of health and fitness.
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