The search for performance-enhancing elements to add to a routine can be endless and difficult for most athletes and sports fanatics. However, there seems to be a new player in the field since supplements and drugs used by athletes (notably professional ones), must comply with anti-doping legislation, be safe yet effective, and preferably be natural. The new player is cannabidiol, (CBD). It is causing a stir among athletes and sports fans, who claim that the benefits range from faster recovery to improved sleep to reduced anxiety over forthcoming games.
Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring chemical found in cannabis and hemp plants. Although research on CBD is relatively limited, there is evidence that it may have promise in the areas of pain, inflammation, and muscle soreness. Athletes, especially those in professional fields who may incur injury or overexertion during an athletic competition, may require treatment for such conditions. Athletes might consider adding CBD to their sports training regimen for a variety of reasons, as we shall discuss below;
CBD as A Pain Alleviation Substance
One of the most popular benefits of CBD is its potential to help relieve or lessen pain. According to one research by Kolen, D. (2020).CBD works with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) to eliminate free radicals, reduce inflammation and restore equilibrium. Thus, CBD can be a fantastic natural alternative for athletes that engage in strenuous exercise or high-impact motions. While THC, CBD’s more well-known psychoactive component, can be used to relieve pain, it has been proven to impair short-term memory and have other undesirable side effects in athletes.
In addition, CBD is good for action sports athletes who take it regularly because it does not generate a dependency like certain prescription pain relievers. Similarly, some evidence suggests that CBD could be utilized to help with opiate or comparable chemical addiction. Also, since CBD interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors, there has been debate about whether CBD or THC is psychoactive. However, the interactions with the receptors are different, and CBD will not get the consumer high.
CBD and Drug Testing
CBD can be an excellent natural alternative for pain alleviation and inflammation because it does not appear on drug testing. Although CBD should not cause you to test positive for THC on a drug test, several sports leagues and organizations do not allow the use of THC, so make sure to fall on the side of caution. CBD was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited drugs in2018, although THC remained on the list.
Therefore, it’s always advisable to double-check label claims and chemical amounts, as the amount of THC allowed in CBD products must be less than 0.3%, limiting the capacity to make you feel high and the appearance on a drug test. Therefore, if you get CBD from an untrustworthy source, the risk increases, so it’s advisable to stick to CBD firms that have been third-party tested. Besides, if you’re a drug-tested athlete who wants to use CBD for pain treatment or stress relief, stick to products you can trust. Tribe CBD, a CBD company, uses a unique process from seed to sale to create maximum potency CBD strains rich in terpenes and phytocannabinoids, allowing the hemp plant to reach its full potential. Therefore, Tribe’s products achieve a high level in broad-spectrum zero THC hemp oil through primary processing and secondary extraction.
Appropriate CBD Products for Action Sport Athletes
Once it comes to CBD use by athletes, there are several different ways to consume it or apply it. Sublingual ingestion of oils and tinctures is good since they enter the bloodstream swiftly and produce effects quickly. Also, pain alleviation, mental wellness, stress reduction, and sleep are all benefits of oils and tinctures. However, CBD topicals are also an excellent choice for effective pain treatment when administered directly to an affected area. For example, CBD recovery rubs or cold therapy creams, such as Tribe CBD’s Broad Spectrum Cold Therapy Hemp CBD Cream, are ideal for targeted use with quick absorption. Besides, drinks typically prepared with the right dose are also a good choice for sportspeople.
Improved Quality of Sleep
One of the most effective strategies for an athlete to get greater training benefits is to get more and better sleep. According to anecdotal evidence, athletes who consume CBD have an easier time falling asleep and have a more peaceful night’s sleep. Besides, CBD’s ability to prevent adenosine reuptake could be one reason for this. As your brain consumes carbohydrates for energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) breaks down, and adenosine accumulates in the brain. Increased adenosine binding to neurons limits neurotransmitter release, lowering brain activity, making you feel calmer, and causing fast sleep. When sleeping, the body metabolizes adenosine, and low quantities of adenosine help you wake up, and the process begins again. CBD impedes adenosine reuptake by attaching to the same receptors that adenosine binds to, thus allowing it to accumulate more quickly and making you fall asleep sooner. Additionally, CBD may have a significant anti-anxiety effect for some people, making it easier to fall asleep and sleep more soundly.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect
Little inflammation can be beneficial to athletes and aid in stimulating positive training adaptations. A lot of inflammation, however, might slow healing and reduce performance. Though CB2 receptors are found in the brain and the peripheral nervous system, they are more prevalent in immunological tissues. Cannabinoids that bind to CB2 receptors might reduce the production of cytokines (cell messengers), which may have an anti-inflammatory impact. Therefore, CBD binds to CB2 receptors, which helps the immune system dial down the response after a hard workout.
Conclusion
Cannabidiol’s entrance could signal a dramatic shift in how athletes recover from training stress and deal with both acute and chronic pain. However, the big, obvious drawback is that CBD’s use and delivery methods are currently ahead of science. This is to say, there’s still a lot to understand about how CBD works and how to use it most effectively with athletes. However, that is not uncommon since even if the formulae weren’t ideal and the mechanisms weren’t fully understood when carbohydrate-rich sports drinks initially came out, it was evident that they were helping boost performance.
Although it is not a forbidden chemical for athletes in or out of competition, athletes may be in danger if the product they purchase does not contain what it claims on the label. You might be charged with doping if it includes a considerable amount of THC or another illegal chemical. Therefore, research and choose a reliable brand, just like anything else. However, basing on what we know so far, CBD has a lot of potential advantages and few concerns. In addition, it has a lot of promise to increase athletic performance if it helps recovery as a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, and sleep aid. Lastly, athletes will achieve even greater gains by minimizing their use of NSAIDs, opioids, and prescription sleep aids.
References
Kolen, D. (2020). Dentistry In The New World Of CBD. Substance.
I believe that nutrition science is a wonderful helper both for the preventive improvement of health and adjunctive therapy in treatment. My goal is to help people improve their health and well-being without torturing themselves with unnecessary dietary restrictions. I am a supporter of a healthy lifestyle – I play sports, cycle, and swim in the lake all year round. With my work, I have been featured in Vice, Country Living, Harrods magazine, Daily Telegraph, Grazia, Women's Health, and other media outlets.
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