One of the main reasons why many people try CBD is so that they can deal with their pain in a more natural way. Because CBD attaches to certain receptors in your body, it can help with reducing inflammation and pain. For someone who is hoping to stop taking strong pain medication or to reduce their dose, CBD is sometimes a good option.
In the last few years, more and more sports magazines, like Outside and Runner’s World, are writing about CBD as the new revelation for a stress releaser and even faster recovery from workouts for pro-athletes. No doubt that CBD is becoming an important topic in the ‘Universe of Sports’ as more and more athletes are finding relief in this compound derived from cannabis.
Studies on CBD
Although the use of CBD in the sports world is getting increasingly popular, there haven’t been enough studies that can prove the benefits of consuming CBD as a performance enhancer. On the other hand, there are interesting, anecdotal reports from athletes using CBD who have experienced many benefits in their performance and zero down-side effects. So, if you’re a marathon runner or a mountain biker, CBD might be something you want to keep close. It not only won’t negatively affect your performance but also it might even make the perfect pair in joining with your performance and taking it to a higher level.
It’s important to understand that CBD is not a new miracle “red bull” that will turn you into the new sports star. There is no evidence that CBD can work as a direct supplement for enhancing performance. Nevertheless, the benefits of CBD are clearly amazing as it’s known to be a natural anti-inflammatory which can be of great help for recovering faster from overworking your muscles.
It’s known that consuming NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) for pain relief can have secondary effects, like ulcers in the stomach, when overused. CBD is also a natural painkiller but without the secondary reactions that can come from consuming aspirin and other NSAIDs.
Also, some tests on athletes using CBD have shown that it helps reduce stress. CBD as a natural relaxer can work for athletes that are under the pressures of competition as it helps alleviate anxiety and stress.
Is CBD Legal under the Anti-Doping Regulations?
CBD is a cannabinoid. One of 113 identified cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. CBD is the only cannabinoid allowed by both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. This means if you are a professional athlete and you’re thinking about trying CBD, make sure what you are getting is 100% pure CBD without any other compounds from the cannabis plant. The best way to be sure you are consuming pure CBD is to get CBD isolate. Stay away from any ‘not full-spectrum’ CBD. It’s important to keep in mind that you want to buy CBD products that do third-party lab testing with results to prove it’s 100% CBD and that it doesn’t contain any THC.
Prominent Advocate for CBD
We are starting to see an important movement of pro-athletes and retired athletes promoting the use of CBD. It is becoming very popular in sports where there is a lot of contacts, such as the NFL, NHL, and MMA. Athletes, like Ryan VandenBussche, a former NHL player, and David Ahrens, a former NFL athlete, have become very vocal in their use of CBD. Many other names, such as MMA fighter Nate Diaz and NFL player Derrick Morgan, are using CBD as an alternative to mitigate muscle inflammation. The pro-boxer Mike Lee is one of the co-founders of Soul CBD which produces high-quality CBD isolate products. He’s using his own experience in producing CBD products that are helping athletes face their daily challenges as well as gathering data on how CBD can become a vital part of the athlete’s life.
