Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a non-intoxicating substance derived from Cannabis sativa. Unlike another intoxicating cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is no longer included in the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) list.
Medical CBD And Sports
For years, the use of CBD has been prohibited in sports. But in 2018, the World Anti-doping Agency removed it from their list of banned substances. Studies have shown that CDB appears to be safe for human use and might be tolerable even with very high doses.
Reports also showed that there are no documented cases of an overdose on CBD oil. Posing the potential of medical CBD in maintaining athletes’ health and performance during games, the WADA allowed professional athletes to use the substance.
Why Athletes Use Medical CBD
Often in consultation with their trainers or doctors, athletes sometimes try various products during certain times. Here are a few reasons why some of them opt for medical CBD:
- It Could Strengthen The Immune System
Medical CBD has properties that may help strengthen the immune system. These properties could protect the body and could make it more resistant to infection and stress. Using medical CBD for quite some time might give the athletes an advantage in keeping their body and organs in top shape.
- It Might Reduce Anxiety And Stress
Athletes’ bodies go through stress and anxiety due to extensive training and exercises. This can cause fatigue. Medical CBD may help ease the body from stress and tension, permitting the athlete to endure rigorous training.
Medical CBD produces anti-stress and anxiety hormones in the brain, which may help the body’s stress response. This could be beneficial for athletes who train for long hours.
- It Could Prevent Inflammation
Medical CBD can possibly have an anti-inflammatory effect in certain circumstances. Inflammation is a process that helps muscle fiber recover. During this process, there’s increased blood flow in recovering areas to deliver nutrients and oxygen. Inflammation can be severely painful.
Due to the pain caused by inflammation, athletes are hindered from exercising and participating in competitions. Taking medical CBD might suppress the symptoms of inflammation. Thus, some athletes are known to have tried using topical or oral CBD to help with their pain.
- It May Relieve Body Pain
Pain can occur when the body is training too hard. It may come from muscle strains resulting from intense training and exercise. Most athletes may experience this condition due to their rigid workout routines.
As evidenced by research, medical CBD could possibly serve as a painkiller. It may help athletes improve their pain tolerance. With less pain, athletes may feel more comfortable during training and might find themselves bouncing back into action faster.
- It Could Speed Up Recovery
Medical CBD may help in speeding up the recovery time for athletes because of its possible anti-inflammatory effects. They can use CDB in the form of lotions, creams, or ointments to see if these products could alleviate the pain associated with the process of recovery.
- It May Help In Sleep And Relaxation
Sleep is when most of the muscle recovery process takes place. Lack of sleep can pose adverse effects on an athlete’s recovery. To achieve maximum performance, rest should be taken seriously.
Research has shown that CBD improves the quality of sleep, as well as its duration. It could also induce calmness, which is necessary for relaxation. With these possible benefits, athletes could try using it for better sleep and relaxation.
- It Could Aid In Weight Loss
Staying in shape might also be a struggle for most athletes. Studies suggest that CBD may boost the metabolism by interacting with two receptors in the body. These two receptors, the CB1 and CB2, play an essential role in metabolism.
Further, CBD may also build up the browning of fat cells responsible for generating heat by burning calories. Good metabolism could help the athlete burn more calories. It would also be easier for them to lose weight and stay in shape.
- It Could Increase Muscle Growth
The use of medical CBD may decrease cortisol levels, which has a positive effect on protein synthesis. This is a process where protein is generated to repair damaged muscles caused by intensive exercise.
With this property, medical CBD may help build muscle mass faster through the recovery process. It may be particularly beneficial for athletes whose aim is to develop and gain power muscles.
The Takeaway
Medical CBD products may be excellent for improving athletes’ performance and recovery. It offers the possible benefit of reducing inflammation and pain during muscle recovery. It may also aid in sleep and relaxation. All in all, it’s always best to consult a physician before taking any medicine or supplement.