CBD has been proven to help a lot of different people with different ailments but what about CBD for athletes? Here’s how it’s helping them better perform.
Since the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) exempted CBD from prohibited substances, many athletes have tried it out. One survey shows that over 61% of athletes have used cannabis, with the majority leaning towards medicinal CBD.
CBD has proven to be helpful to a lot of distinct people with different ailments. The FDA approved Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution for the treatment of seizures. Also, increasing amounts of people are using straight CBD for physical and mental problems.
But what about CBD for athletes? Here’s how it’s helping them perform better.
- CBD for Athletes Betters Sleep
As an athlete, you require enough sleep to perform well. The recommended sleep per day is 7-9 hrs. But Dr. John Thornton, Director of Sports Medicine, Clarion University, suggests athletes should sleep an hour extra.
Unfortunately, for athletes, sometimes sleep can be scarce. Either you’re struggling with fatigue, pain or you have a sleep disorder.
CBD is useful for easing most mental and physical conditions that can prevent sleep. Research studies also suggest CBD therapy can counter insomnia and REM sleep disorder.
- Muscle Relaxation
CBD’s distinct aroma offers more than the revered flavor. The aroma comes from terpenes, which also have vast health benefits. Among the many terpenes in CBD are myrcene and limonene, which can act as muscle relaxants.
Myrcene and limonene cause a soothing effect associated with cannabis. According to research, the two terpenes can relax the muscles and prompt the user to sleep.
To access terpenes, you must avoid CBD isolates. Instead, go for full spectrum gummies, oils or tinctures, for certainty.
- CBD for Pain
If you’re considering CBD for athletic performance, you’ll want to be sure it can help to tackle pain. Yes, it does─ and that’s one of the top reasons most athletes use sport CBD products.
As a nonpsychoactive compound in cannabis, CBD is more reliable for pain problems than THC. Unlike THC, CBD treats pain without causing a high or euphoria. And most of the time, it doesn’t show on drug tests.
- Reducing Nausea and Vomiting
Sometimes you may feel sick or like vomiting after exercise. What you face is nausea, which can distract from your performance and make you feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, CBD for athletes can regulate and manage nausea. CBD influences the brain’s response to serotonin, the hormone responsible for nausea. Studies show CBD has anti-vomiting properties that enable it to work better than most nausea medications.
- CBD Against Inflammation
Many athletes ask “does CBD reduce inflammation”. The answer is a resounding yes.
CBD has anti-inflammatory agents that help to counteract the hormone cytokines. But cytokines are not a bad hormone and they intend to help the body mediate inflammation and immunity.
The excruciating pain felt from a sore muscle is usually cytokines at work. Your body needs them to fight antigens or heal injuries. But, when the pain is too extreme, CBD use can be handy to help reduce the impact of cytokines.
- Alternative to Opioids and NSAIDs
For many years, athletes have been using opioids and NSAIDs to manage pain and inflammation problems. But experts say, most NSAIDs can cause severe ulcers and lead to heart problems. NSAIDs include Asprin, ketoprofen, and Ibuprofen. Also, in 2018, opioids caused 46,802 deaths and contributed to 69.5% of all overdose deaths.
Given CBD offers both pain and inflammation relief, it’s becoming increasingly popular among athletes. CBD is much safer than opioids and NSAIDs. And it can be more useful for long-run use because of the zero risks of addiction. The only downside to CBD is that it may not resolve acute pain cases.
- CBD for Athletes’ Focus and Concentration
Usually, it helps to have a clear mind and a balanced system for peak performance. If you’re struggling to concentrate or focus when it matters, you can try CBD.
CBD influences the endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate memory, moods, and body balance. When you consume CBD, it interacts with the ECS to keep the entire body system balanced. As a result, your feelings, appetite, and sleep patterns improve.
The enhanced body functioning keeps the body relaxed. This helps to boost focus and concentration levels.
- Quicker Recovery
No matter your fitness levels, sometimes you can feel the “hit” of workouts. Your muscles can become sore for days and limit your performance.
Thanks to how CBD fights inflammation, pain, and muscle soreness, it can be your useful companion before and after workouts. Again, CBD’s effectiveness in boosting sleep relieves the body of strain and refreshes you for the next day’s session.
- CBD for Athletes Helps to Build Muscles
Muscles are essential for athletic performance. This is the reason some people resort to muscle-building supplements. But supplements have a downside when you’re not consistent with exercise. Your muscles can shrink faster and water down your efforts.
CBD provides a more robust and natural alternative to supplements. CBD regulates blood sugar levels and reduces insulin resistance. Low insulin levels enable your body to burn more glucose, which helps to tone your muscles.
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Feelings of fear, stress, and nervousness can sometimes interfere with your performance. Anxiety can strike you any day. Sometimes it can cause you sleepless nights and hurt your regimen.
For some athletes, this nervous feeling attacks on days when they must be at their best to compete. Can CBD do anything?
CBD has anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties that can help athletes to overcome stress, and sleep well. Its calming and relaxing effects can also enable you to achieve an internal peace that’s vital for focus.
CBD for Athletes to Performance
CBD for athletes seems to have all the benefits you can wish for peak performance. As seen, it can be helpful on and off the field. The fact it can sometimes replace opioids is enough to add it to your work out essentials.
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A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.