5 Reasons Why Athletes Should Consider Using CBD
Many athletes are already pretty healthy, but CBD may still provide a natural boost.
There’s a misconception that people are just born athletes. However, true mastery comes from consistency and dedication. It can involve waking up early, strict eating habits, and grueling workout routines. Over time it takes a toll on both your body and your mind, which is why many athletes use supplements to help them reach their goals. So, should Athletes add CBD to their regular list of supplements?
Yes! CBD (cannabidiol) can balance so many different aspects of the human body, and athletes can absolutely benefit from it. So, whether you’re a runner, bodybuilder, a Crossfit enthusiast, or even a golfer, you should definitely consider adding CBD to your supplements.
Why Athletes Should Use CBD
When most people think of CBD, they might assume the only people who need it are those who regularly deal with chronic pain and/or anxiety. The biggest issue with that assumption is that people don’t always include athletes in that group.
Chronic pain is a beast like no other, and it can strike anyone--including athletes. In fact, athletes regularly deal with muscle soreness and pain, not to mention the many injuries they may pick up along the way. Also, assuming athletes don’t deal with mental health issues only makes it harder for them to feel comfortable seeking help.
Basically, just because athletes have physical strength doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from CBD. In fact, CBD can help athletes in several ways...
1. Decrease Pain and Inflammation
Regardless of how often athletes work out, when they need to get stronger, they have to push themselves to their limits. This can often lead to micro-tears in the muscle fiber. The goal is for the muscles to heal and become stronger. Unfortunately, this means athletes often deal with muscle pain and inflammation. Luckily, CBD is great for treating both pain and inflammation.
Many athletes resort to painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen. However, long term use of NSAID drugs can have serious consequences like heart problems, kidney damage, stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal complications. CBD is a natural alternative to these painkillers and doesn’t come with the same risks that NSAIDs do. When CBD molecules bind to specific receptors in the ECS (endocannabinoid system) they reduce pain, inflammation, and hyperalgesia.
2. Topicals May Provide Direct Relief to Sore Muscles
Have you ever crawled home from the gym after leg day? Ever had to literally roll out of bed after ab day? While it may be tempting to lay in bed all day while your muscles recover, it’s important to keep your body moving to avoid lactic acid buildup. This happens after intense workouts and is usually temporary, however, too much of it can make sore muscles feel even worse.
To help you keep moving without feeling like your muscles are screaming, consider using a CBD topical. A topical can be applied directly where you need it, and the act of massaging it into your skin will help relax your muscles too. Give it about 20-30 minutes and you’ll notice less soreness and more ease of movement.
3. Reduce Oxidative Damage
The more you work out, the more you stress your body. While this does eventually force your body to become stronger, your body also deals with more oxidative stress. The more free radicals your body has, the more likely you are to develop a vast number of disorders.
While you could combat those free radicals by increasing your antioxidant intake, you could also supplement with CBD Oil. Several studies have shown that CBD may reduce oxidative damage. This means faster recovery and better performance for athletes.
4. Better Sleep For Faster Recovery and More Energy
While you may think the most important part of an athletes routine would be diet or exercise, sleep is just as important. Sleep is how the body heals and recovers. If an athlete isn’t getting quality sleep, they’ll notice slower recovery time and less energy.
CBD can help athletes get better sleep in two ways. First, by reducing pain and inflammation, CBD can help the body relax and prepare for sleep. The second way is by relaxing your mind. CBD can increase the neurotransmitter GABA, which helps slow racing thoughts and induce a sense of calm.
5. Even Athletes Get Anxiety
It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympian or an amateur athlete, anyone can have problems with anxiety and/or depression. Plus, can you imagine the intense pressure that comes with needing to perform at your absolute best all the time? Yikes.
The same way that CBD can boost GABA to help people sleep better, higher GABA levels are associated with feeling calm and relaxed. Not only that, other research indicates that CBD may be able to help Seratonin transmission in the brain. Serotonin is associated with elevated moods and lower anxiety. Yes, please!
Disclaimer
While the side-effects of CBD are rare and almost always mild, it’s important for athletes to understand how the supplements they’re using may effect them. CBD can interact with certain prescription medications, so it’s best to consult with your doctor before using CBD while on medication.
Also, it’s possible to test positive for THC when using CBD products. This would only happen if someone is using a full-spectrum CBD product and at an incredibly high dose. If this is something you’re worried about, stick to isolates or broad-spectrum products.
Conclusion
We hope this information inspired our athletes to give CBD a try! Plus, if chronic pain and/or inflammation has held you back from living a more active lifestyle, we hope that CBD can give you the relief you need to go for it!
To figure out what dose is right for you, check out our blog all about it here. Everyone is different, so you may have to tinker with your dose until it’s just right. If CBD makes you feel sleepy, we’d recommend taking it before bed. On the other hand, if CBD gives you a boost of energy try taking it before an intense workout! There are so many different types of CBD products available, so check out our shop and find one that’s perfect for you!
Let us know in the comments if CBD has made a difference in your workouts, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for updates.
Hannah Walker is a mostly-retired University English instructor who spends her time freelance copywriting. When not doing that, she’s writing articles related to CBD, skincare, and/or media. With an MA in English-Creative Writing she’s probably working on a creative piece at this very moment. See more about Hannah’s work on her website or on Instagram.