If you are an active person, it’s no secret that there are many benefits you can get from using a CBD product. These benefits are now being taken advantage of by professional athletes more than they ever have been before.
These athletes are more likely to suffer serious injury than an average person simply because of the stress their bodies are forced to go through. More and more of these professional athletes are turning to CBD oil to give their bodies an edge when it comes to recovering. Using CBD oil helps them protect their body from serious injury, lower the amount of time needed for their bodies to recover, and enables them to perform at the highest level. This is all possible because CBD works hand in hand with the body’s endocannabinoid system, naturally.
With the rest of this article, we will look at exactly why it benefits an athlete to use CBD oil, as well as a few popular professional athletes who are already using these products.
There’s no question. The therapeutic value of CBD has been well studied and researched. There are more benefits than we could discuss in just one article. CBD products are being used to effectively treat pain, help people get a better night’s sleep, as well as being used as an effective anti-inflammatory. The benefits of using CBD goes much further than treating disease and illness. The similar qualities leading CBD users to a healthier lifestyle also is a great source of muscle recovery for athletes from every sport.
Burnout can be avoided by CBD’s ability to lower stress. The time needed for an athlete to recover from injury or fatigue is lowered when a CBD product is taken as a sleep aid. Athletes can even benefit from the mechanism backing CBD’s ability to fight anxiety. The following are five benefits of athletes using CBD that can be backed with evidence.
CBD as an adaptogen
Echinacea and mushrooms are included when looking at a traditional adaptogen. Recently, CBD has been placed on the list of plants that both boost performance and reduce stress in the body. This is because CBD is a perfect fit for the definition of an adaptogen.
An adaptogen is a herb or plant that is non-toxic and has the ability to bring our bodies back to where they should be, both physically and mentally. Also, adaptogens play a significant role in protecting the neuroendocrine and nervous systems. According to a study that took place in 1969, an adaptogen has to naturally be stimulatory, and side effects can not be experienced as a result of taking them.
This is precisely what CBD oil does. It activates our endocannabinoid system, sending signals to a network of substances in our bodies. The CBD is also used to help create balance within this network. This system being activated brings vitality and health needed to maintain homeostasis.
If you are an athlete, CBD along with the remaining active ingredients found in hemp can help an athlete with adapting to the training they must endure. Following any difficult workout, a person’s body temperature is raised, along with their cortisol level. Also, the proteins in their muscles have been completely broken down and the level of glycogen a person has is drained. Balance is not a part of the picture whatsoever.
As a result of sensing the stress that is happening, our bodies will start producing a higher amount of endocannabinoids. This is all part of the body dealing with the process of recovering. These imbalances are quickly addressed with additional cannabinoids such as CBD in the body. CBD helps allow the body to recover quickly, as well as keeping the body from getting burned out.
This is where CBD can be a huge benefit for any athlete. There has even been at least one study performed that goes as far as questioning if cannabinoids need to be considered PEDs, performance-enhancing drugs. When taken with other adaptogens, CBD is a huge benefit that is not considered as doping by sporting committees and the majority of other athletes.
CBD to reduce anxiety
You would be hard-pressed to find a medication that affects anxiety as positively as CBD does. To be specific, those suffering from chronic anxiety, acute anxiety, and everything you find between the two are finding relief by using CBD products. Even fears such as speaking publicly are dissolving as a result of using CBD.
This is where an extra benefit for professional athletes could come in. Performing at the highest level would build pressure in anyone, especially when intense training and competition is thrown into the mix. CBD is being praised by many for lowering anxiety and getting rid of memories of fear. This can enhance an athlete’s performance, and there are no negative side effects that need to be addressed.
There is one thing to keep in mind. If you are an athlete considering using CBD to help with battling anxiety, make sure that the product you are using is full-spectrum. By using these hemp extracts known as full-spectrum, you will receive other compounds that can be extremely valuable. These additional compounds work with CBD, enriching the benefits you will receive.
If you are needing help with anxiety, not much CBD is needed. You won’t need a high dosage. There are plenty of athletes finding relief from anxiety with very small amounts of CBD. The key isn’t the amount you use. It’s consistency. The three to ten-milligram range for dosage is more than enough to experience positive results.
CBD defends the central nervous system
The CNS, central nervous system, is made up of the spinal cord and brain. Its primary function is controlling the inner communications perception. This happens by the CNS sending multiple signals through the neurons and nerves.
This isn’t as difficult as it may sound. When the stimulus level in our body is higher than normal, the central nervous system becomes more active. When the stimulus level is lower than average, the CNS is not as active. With sports involving a movement against resistance, such as lifting weights, the central nervous system becomes overworked. When this happens for a long enough period of time, and the excitatory input of the CNS begins to dim. When this firing power is lost, we lose strength and muscles aren’t contracting the way they should.
When the central nervous system becomes burnt out in an athlete, they don’t feel as fast and are unable to do as much at their normal exertion rate. If the athlete continues to ignore the process of recovery, the muscles of the athlete can become unresponsive to the firing of neurons. Just a heads up, this is not good.
CBD can be a best friend for neurotransmission. It can assist with synchronizing neural signals, providing a level of balance within the central nervous system. CBD is also able with helping nerves keep their myelin sheaths.
The ECS, endocannabinoid system, encourages health naturally. CBD is a huge contributor to this process. It can be used to both vitalize and strengthen the endocannabinoid system. When taken before a workout, CBD can protect the CNS from being overworked. While the exact study and research have yet to be completed, there are plenty of athletes willing to say they believe CBD helps them avoid the shakiness that can often follow a lift or workout that pushes their muscles to the limits.
It is believed that CBD can even help a nervous system that has been overworked become more flexible through recovery. This happens by CBD aiding the endocannabinoids that play a role within the nervous system.
CBD relaxes muscles
If you are an athlete or even someone who simply likes to stay fit, you know how it can feel after taking a workout to the max. Cramping muscles that immediately become sore. Even the basic activities such as walking or carrying a gallon of milk can become difficult. It is these moments that prove recovering can be the most difficult part of any workout.
Not enough people are aware of CBD’s ability to help relax muscles. CBD can promote the relaxation of muscles by influencing the system that calms, stills, and quiets the body. It can also assist more active users to avoid issues with the health of their joints and muscles. Tendonitis can be treated with a combination of using CBD, icing, stretching, and foam rolling. To receive some of these benefits with CBD products, supplement 10-20mg of CBD that is ingested every day. Also, you will want to use a topical, CBD infused cream or lotion, and apply it to areas of your body that are a problem. This can also be huge when it comes to relieving inflammation. Remember, with a topical, the strength of the CBD will vary. It’s recommended to use something containing 100 mg of CBD oil per every ounce.
CBD improves sleep
If you are new to taking CBD on a regular basis, one of the first things you will notice is the help you receive when it comes to sleeping. In some instances, as soon as the first dose of CBD is taken, the person notices an increase in the quality of their sleep that very night. As CBD builds in your system, the effects continue to get better and better. Sleeping disorders are one of the many reasons that lead people to try a CBD product, regardless if they are an athlete or not.
One thing many different serious workout routines have in common is that they can be negative on a sleep routine. Workout too early in the day, and it can lead to an afternoon nap that throws you off track. Workout too late in the evening and your body can have difficulty shutting down when it is time to get ready for bed. Because of the benefits, CBD provides concerning sleep, it can be huge when it comes to improving the sleep of athletes.
If you are an elite athlete, you don’t have to find an excuse for sleeping a lot. The more time you spend sleeping, the more time your muscles have for recovery. There are plenty of popular athletes willing to admit the spend between nine and 12 hours a day sleeping.
If you feel you are not getting enough sleep, CBD can be a huge help. Unlike many popular sleep aids that can be bought over the counter or with a prescription, you won’t wake up feeling drowsy or like you need a nap just a few hours later. With just ten mg a night of CBD, you will get a far better and productive night of sleep than you are used to receiving. You will wake up fresh and alert, ready to face whatever the world or the gym has to throw at you. Now that we have looked at a few reasons backing the idea of athletes using CBD, let’s look at a couple professional athletes who do.
Eugene Monroe: Offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens
Eugene was the first of many active NFL players to openly speak about using CBD oil to improve his health and wellness. He’s currently very active within “The Bright Lights Campaign.” This organization is currently researching how CBD can be effective for professional football players.
Derrick Morgan: Linebacker for the Tennessee Titans
Derrick can regularly be seen on news platforms announcing his use of CBD oil. He currently regularly speaks with the public in regards to his thoughts on the effectiveness of CBD products. Several other NFL football players have been willing to use CBD based on the testimony of Derrick.
Nate Diaz: MMA fighter
Ever since 2016, professional fighter Nate Diaz has been open about using CBD oil. Nate openly discusses how CBD helps him heal and fight against inflammation following extensive training. Diaz not only uses CBD while training, but it is also something he uses before and after every fight.