CBD For Athletes: Why They Use It

Today, some research and claims by people who had already used CBD had proved and testified that CBD helped them in a variety of ways. Even some known personalities are supporting, advocating, and recommending the health benefits of CBD. Not only that, but some of them are athletes who have testified that it helped them in their performance and their career. In this article, we will discuss more about the effectiveness of CBD for athletes.

What Is CBD?

When we talk about cannabis, it is not all about the high sensation it causes. Cannabis has more than a hundred compounds called cannabinoids and out of these, the two most common are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The two of them contain psychoactive properties, but they don’t produce the same psychoactive effects. THC is the cannabinoid that produces a high sensation while CBD doesn’t. 

This is the reason why many people opt to use CBD. They can fully enjoy medical health benefits without unwanted side effects, making them still productive throughout the day instead of getting high and couch-locked. Hence, this could be the same reason why more and more athletes are looking at the health benefits produced by it. 

What Are The Health Benefits Of CBD?

It can help with various medical conditions and symptoms of underlying diseases. These conditions include:

• Seizures
•  Anxiety
• Depression
• Inflammation
• Pain
• Nausea
• Migraine

Furthermore, while more research is needed to approve this claim, researchers also believe that it can help with:

•  Easing symptoms of neurological disorders
• Improving heart health by reducing blood pressure and preventing heart damage
• Reducing psychotic symptoms
•  Preventing diabetes

Aside from these medical conditions, some studies showed that it also produces short-term effects on the user. These effects may include: 

• Relaxation
• Increased appetite
• Improved focus and creativity

Why Do Athletes Use And Recommend CBD?

From the given list of health benefits of CBD, it is obvious that there are many advantages of CBD for athletes. You can conclude that many athletes opt to use CBD due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Also, many athletes have claimed that using CBD helped them alleviate pain during vigorous strength training. And unlike THC, using CBD can still make them active throughout the day.

Some athletes have also praised the medical benefits of it in recovering from injuries through managing pain and inflammation. Furthermore, they also claimed that this helped a lot with their mental health.

How Do Athletic Events View CBD?

In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency declared that CBD was removed from its list of prohibited substances. This means that athletes can use it and can still play on major sports events. However, THC is still prohibited and might get an athlete disqualified if drug tests revealed that there is THC in their system.

Ideally, it wouldn’t appear on drug tests, making it an amazing natural pain reliever for athletes. However, there were some reports that an athlete had tested positive for HC despite taking only this products. But do not worry, all you have to do is to become careful. There are many benefits of it for athletes, so don’t close your door from using it because of fear that you might fail a drug test. You just have to purchase your products from a reliable and trusted source. Also, reading product descriptions can help. Remember that the THC content permitted for this products is under 0.3%, so carefully read labels, and you won’t have to worry about THC appearing on your drug test.

Athletes Who Are Advocates of CBD

The use of CBD for athletes is getting widespread―more and more athletes are trying this products to improve their performances and help them in their careers. Here are some of the athletes that advocate the benefits of it and recommend the use of it for athletes.

Derrick Morgan

The NFL linebacker for the Tennessee Titans has shared that he uses this as part of his training regimen. He was first introduced to it when he learned that it could help with brain health and brain trauma. Since then, he has studied how it protects the brain, which he shares and advocates in his public platform.

Nate Diaz

The UFC fighter was very open on his stand about the benefits of this oil. He even vaped its oil during a news conference, and when he was asked about it, he simply said that it was indeed CBD oil that he was vaping. He added that this oil had helped him during the healing process after his fights and training.

Mike Tyson

The world-famous heavyweight boxer is probably one of the most vocal in promoting it for athletes. He has been its advocate and supporter for years and said in interviews that he uses it when training and before and after fights. Today, he is a legal marijuana farm owner and has been selling cannabis products.

Lucas Glover

The American golfer who won the 2009 US Open was once asked why golfers enjoy the use of it, even if it is not as physical as other action sports. He simply replied that it is good for providing calmness.

What CBD Products Are Used By Athletes?

There are a variety of this products available in the market. However, one of the most used and recommended products of it for athletes is CBD oil. CBD oil can be taken through various ways, such as:

• Taking it directly
• Mixing with drinks
• Mixing with meals
• Vaping
• Massaging onto the skin

Moreover, athletes also use its tinctures, capsules, food bars, protein powders, salves, and vape pens.

Conclusion

Alleviating pain and inflammation are the most common reasons why many are advocating it for athletes. If it is your first time using it, it is always important to read labels. If you don’t want to get high, make sure that you are purchasing from trusted sources and that the labels indicate low THC content. Also, you must carefully follow the prescribed dosages so that you can fully enjoy the amazing benefits it has to offer.