It’s in coffee, cocktails, and dog treats — and now it’s at the gym. Fitness studios are peddling CBD products as a way for gym members to alleviate sore muscles after an intense workout.

SoulCycle US:SLCY last week started selling a $60 CBD lotion by Los Angeles–based Lord Jones, a purveyor of hemp-derived CBD products, in all 85 of its U.S. studios and on its website. Sample sizes of the lotion, said to help with inflammation, will also be available inside studios for riders to try for free.

The High CBD Formula Body Lotion contains 100 milligrams of CBD per 1.7-ounce bottle. Each pump dispenses 2mg of CBD extract derived from hemp harvested in the U.S., and contains no THC, according to a description on the Lord Jones website. SoulCycle did not immediately return a request for comment about the partnership.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is derived from marijuana plants, but, because it doesn’t contain THC, it doesn’t make users high. While it’s non-intoxicating, however, it may alter brain function. Aside from its purported relaxing properties, CBD is said to help with topical pain relief, and CBD companies are positioning their products as the newest gym must-have amenity, like the smoothie bar or sauna of years past.

CBD continues to face a complex legal landscape. The FDA has said CBD remains illegal under federal law and that it’s illegal to add it to food and health products. Meanwhile, the country’s biggest pharmacy chain, CVS CVS, -1.27% , is now selling Curaleaf CURLF, -0.59% CBD lotions and pain-relief patches in eight states.

The legal questions haven’t stopped brands like high-end CBD purveyor Lord Jones, which became the first CBD beauty brand to launch at cosmetics retailer Sephora LVMUY, -0.09% last year. It’s now turning its attention to the fitness industry, and SoulCycle is its first major fitness-studio partner. Lord Jones also sells products like its Old Fashion CBD Gumdrops ($45 for nine with 20mg of CBD per gum drop), and CBD Lemon Tincture ($60 with 250mg per bottle) at Taryn Toomey boutique fitness studios in New York, L.A., Miami and Vancouver, and they’re also available at individual yoga studios in New York and Philadelphia and in Texas, the brand confirmed.

“So many of our existing users swear by the product to treat sore muscles that result from cycling, strength training and high-intensity workouts,” Lord Jones CEO and founder Robert Rosenheck said in an email. “CBD acts as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory so it reduces pain and inflammation.”

Another brand, HempMeds, sells topical products like CBD oil tinctures and an Active Relief Roll-On ($49.99) made with 50mg of hemp extract that pairs cooling effects of menthol with, the company says, the anti-inflammatory benefits of CBD. It’s available at a number of gyms in San Diego including 10th Planet Oceanside, which specializes in Jiu Jitsu, mixed martial arts and kickboxing. And local gyms in Charlotte, N.C., are selling products by Charlotte-based CBD brand Pure Embodiment, including a 200mg Sport Cream ($39.99) and 300mg Sport Spray Lotion ($49.99) both of which are paraben-free, THC-free and made from “Isolate-Based CBD,” according to the company.

“CBD interacts with the body’s native systems to assist the body in achieving homeostasis, and many people have found these balancing properties help them recover more quickly so they’re able to perform at their best at their next competition or practice,” a spokeswoman for HempMeds wrote MarketWatch in an email.

Some athletes have reported pain relief from CBD

CBD has reportedly been used for centuries for pain relief for migraines, period cramps and endometriosis and to help skin conditions like eczema. It’s been said to have a number of benefits for sleep and mental-health conditions such as anxiety, though research hasn’t been definitive on those questions yet. And the FDA has warned about companies making unsupported health claims for CBD’s benefits.

“ ‘Athletes doing intense workouts like Bikram yoga or SoulCycle can go up to 25mg of CBD per day, and for your average person that gets sore or doesn’t want a heavy dose, 5mg is great.’ ”

CBD in the form of topical lotions or tinctures has been shown to help athletes in particular suffering muscle soreness. And with pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin posing some health risks, athletes in particular are turning to more natural remedies to combat chronic pain, muscle aches and discomfort.

Austin, Texas, native Caleb Simpson, 39, an avid trail runner, suffers from Achilles tendinitis, an injury that results in severe heel pain. He started using CBD oil and topical lotion last year as a natural alternative to pain-relief medications. He says he’s recovered up to 70%.

“I bought my first bottle of CBD oil, and within a week I was noticing relief from the running injury,” he said. He takes 30mg of CBD oil tincture three times a day and uses 5mg to 10mg of CBD lotion to help with muscle pain. “I notice I recover faster from my run. I have less soreness after a long workout.”

Actress Kirsten Bell told New York magazine’s the Cut that she used CBD for a sore back after her workout routine.

“I was very skeptical at first,” she told the magazine. “I put it on my back, and, honestly, five minutes after I did, I already felt 85% better. I am completely sold.” Pro surfer Alessa Quizon also used a topical CBD roll-on oil to soothe her muscles after workouts, competitions or surf sessions. “It’s saved my muscles from sitting for hours on planes and from getting super sore post-surfing,” Quizon told the website MBG Movement earlier this month.

Read the label carefully, says one doctor

President Trump signed the $867 billion farm bill in December, which allows states to legally produce the hemp plant, from which CBD can be extracted. But despite hemp legalization, the FDA still largely considers CBD products illegal to add to food or health products without approval from the federal agency, since products have not been clinically proven to be safe or effective. It’s also worth noting that if a CBD product or extract is derived from hemp and contains less than 0.3% of THC, then it’s not considered a drug at the federal level.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the first CBD drug, Epidiolex, for treating seizures last year. Regarding athletics, hemp-derived CBD was taken out of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances in 2018.

“CBD is great as a plant-based alternative to ibuprofen, Advil and other anti-inflammatories that can wreak havoc on your GI system,” said Dr. Junella Chin, a New York–based integrative medical cannabis physician. “Sometimes patients do get side effects like nausea or fatigue. Don’t use it before the workout; use it afterwards, when you’re recovering.”

Chin added, “Athletes doing intense workouts like Bikram yoga or SoulCycle can go up to 25mg of CBD per day, and for your average person that gets sore or doesn’t want a heavy dose, 5mg is great.”

Chin says those who want to avoid side effects should opt for a lotion instead of a tincture that’s at least 250mg per bottle, and recommends using a pearl-sized drop (around 5mg) in a localized area where there’s swelling or tension. She also cautions users to read the label carefully.

“Sometimes if you look at the back of the bottle it has melatonin or valerian root and those things can give you the side effects not the CBD itself.”