The life of an athlete entails rigorous training, tough competition, and an optimally functioning mind and body. Athletes all around the world work hard to prepare for their respective sports, but they often encounter roadblocks such as injuries, chronic pain, and mental strains.
Athletes of all levels and sports have begun harnessing the benefits of CBD to help feel their best both on and off the field. A range of athletes, have praised CBD for its range of benefits:
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
The intense training and pressure athletes experience prior to competitions often cause great stress and anxiety. When this happens, athletes are tired to such an extent that they can no longer effectively train.
CBD has been shown to help suppress anxiety and stress, allowing athletes to continue training without the body reacting in a negative way. CBD interacts with a number of receptors in and outside of the endocannabinoid system that regulates anxiety and inhibits the fear response. Taking CBD can help athletes suppress their anxiety, and indirectly improve their overall performance.
Speeds Up Recovery
CBD has been found to alleviate the pain associated with recovery. Reducing inflammation is one of the most well-known properties of CBD and CBD oil, making it very useful for athletes who are recovering from both major or minor injuries. Depending on the type of injury, CBD can either be taken orally or applied directly to the injured body part topically. Less inflammation often means less pain and a faster rehabilitation process.
Additionally, CBD has been used to alleviate symptoms of concussions. The endocannabinoid system plays a central role in regulating both migraines and post-concussion headaches, and taking CBD can desensitize the neurons that trigger these headaches.
Relieves Pain
When athletes train too hard, pain often occurs. If treatment is not received, muscle strain may develop after training, which can have a major impact on the athlete’s performance and career. CBD helps athletes to increase their pain threshold, and at the same time ensures that muscle cramps and pain are reduced after using CBD in sports.
An easy way to use CBD products is by buying edibles online. CBD products like gummies or brownies also give off no smell, giving you a quick solution when you need to relieve pain. You also don’t need to go through the hassle of buying from a brick-and-mortar store.
Enable Better Sleep And Relaxation
CBD is widely known to help users feel calm and sleep. For all people, especially athletes, sleep is critical for optimal performance and feeling your best. Athletes have begun to utilize CBD for this purpose as well. PGA player Bubba Watson, for example, has been noted for using CBD to alleviate the trouble he has sleeping before a final round.
Is CBD Legal and is it Allowed for Athletes?
There is no uniform policy among sports leagues when it comes to CBD. Although, as it becomes more widely available and cannabis is legalized in many states, restrictions appear to be loosening.
The NBA and WNBA recently announced they will no longer penalize players for marijuana. This came about in part when Covid restrictions were in place and talks between the players union and NBA were ongoing. In a move towards looser restrictions, the NFL recently stated that players won’t be suspended for a positive marijuana test and increased their levels of allowable THC. The MLB removed marijuana from its list of drugs of abuse in December 2018. And in promising news, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency now allow athletes to use CBD products, though caution that users should be aware of the THC levels.
Along with these loosening regulations, professional athletes across the industry continue to tout the benefits of CBD for anxiety, pain, and relaxation. Soccer star Megan Rapinoe and retired hockey player Ryan Vanden Bussche both have been known to praise the effects of CBD on their well-being both on and off the field. Though more research is still underway, CBD is a promising addition to any athlete’s regimen.
For information on how to start incorporating CBD into your fitness regimen, please visit our website or contact one of our expert staff members.