The number of athletes using CBD continues to rise drastically. The reason? Enhanced performances without the worry of any side effects. The once illegal compound seems to be the only thing giving athletes relief considering their intense workout routines. Before cannabidiol went mainstream, most sportspersons depended on opioids for pain relief. They, however, became unpopular after confirmations that opioid painkillers posed significant health threats.
Different forms of CBD athletes are taking
Not every athlete is comfortable vaping CBD to enjoy its benefits. That is why CBD companies are trying to come up with various forms to ease application methods. Some of the primary forms of cannabidiol include:
- Topicals
- Edibles
- Oils and tinctures
- Vapes
Despite the multiple forms of CBD available, most athletes seem to be going for oils and tinctures as well as topical applications. These methods are easy to administer, and also work faster than edibles. Now that you have an overview of how sports persons are taking CBD, you can now have a look at why they’re choosing the compound.
Benefits of CBD for athletes
CBD is one of the known cannabinoids in marijuana. Despite being a cannabis compound, it is not psychoactive and can offer many health advantages. CBD products are available in different sizes, designs, and shapes that suit athletes’ preferences. Whether they choose to have CBD gummies, CBD oil, CBD topical, or CBD vaporizing, athletes can be sure that CBD products will be of great help to them.
CBD has the following benefits for athletes.
1. Athletes are using CBD for pain
The biggest problem that a significant number of athletes face is pain management. They tend to partake in tedious exercises that see them strain their bodies. Some even go for high-intensity interval training, which involves pushing to their limits. Athletes can find themselves fighting injuries as well as trying to manage many other forms of pain as a result.
With time, they start performing dismally since the pain can no longer allow them to cope with their demanding schedule. Some athletes use pain relievers like codeine and fentanyl, whose side effects include addiction and abuse of other drugs. Such unpleasant scenarios are the reason athletes now opt for a natural and effective remedy such as CBD for pain.
The compound is safe for use, and it lacks any side effects. Soon after its application, CBD travels to the endocannabinoid system via the bloodstream. It instructs brain receptors to stop the body from absorbing the anandamide hormone. The increased availability of that hormone prevents the brain from detecting pain signals, causing a numb effect.
2. With CBD, athletes can get relief from inflammation
Inflammation is among the main problems affecting athletes. The condition usually occurs when the body detects an injury, and so it tries to protect itself from further harm. Some of the primary causes of inflammation among athletes include training stress, nutritional supplements, and environmental stress, among others. Without the right remedy, inflammation leads to an athlete’s downtime, something that may affect them physically and mentally. Thanks to awareness, most sportspeople are finding relief from the stressful condition by using CBD.
Over the years, the cannabinoid has been helping various individuals treat inflammation. That is because CBD has anti-inflammatory properties. The compound interacts with the body using the endocannabinoid system. It then reduces soreness. Edibles are also one of the best anti-oxidants, so they can prevent the spread of free radicals. By doing so, it stops the infection of the sore wound. All these CBD properties combined can thus reduce inflammation and speed up the athlete’s recovery process.
3. By using CBD, athletes can regain focus
The combination of stress, anxiety, and the need to perform can sometimes be too much for an athlete. That is why it reaches a point when they start losing focus. Once that happens, sportspersons start missing exercises. They also end up performing miserably. Some even end up abusing drugs in a bid to keep their worries at bay. Athletes who use CBD, however, are unlikely to face such issues. That is because the compound clears the mind, leaving them more focused.
The cannabidiol has a way of enabling your brain to concentrate on a particular task until its completion. What makes that possible is the fact that CBD works with receptors to facilitate the balance of the serotonin hormone in the brain. If the levels of serotonin increase, it can lead to stress, and if the hormone is too low, it can lead to depression. That is why CBD communicates with the brain to keep the hormone balanced. By doing so, athletes end up with improved moods, less stress, and reduced anxiety.
4. CBD can help athletes have quality sleep
Sleep is the most important way of allowing the body to reboot and facilitate quick recovery. Every athlete requires at least 7 hours sleep for them to be able to cope with their usual routine. Sometimes, however, it’s difficult for them to enjoy quality sleep due to either injury, stress, or anxiety. Most sleep medication that other sportspersons use tends to come with side effects. Some lead to nausea, headaches, and sometimes moodiness.
Whether athletes use CBD topically or orally, it ends up in their endocannabinoid system. It then triggers the brain to balance the serotonin hormone. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for appetite, moods, and, most importantly, sleep. What CBD does is that it helps an athlete to fall asleep quickly and have undistracted sleep throughout the night. That way, athletes end up having more time to replenish their energy reserves and recover from previous exercises.
Conclusion
So there are four key reasons why athletes are choosing CBD for fitness. The combination of the above benefits enables athletes to enhance their performance. It is also the only way to increase the functionality of the body without having to worry about any significant side effects. It is, however, crucial that sportspersons go for the purest CBD strain.
