Athletes are barred from taking performance enhancement drugs, like testosterone and steroids in order to gain an unfair advantage against the competition. In 2018, CBD was removed from the list of prohibited substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Because the cannabinoid is no longer a banned substance, it has gained a lot of traction in the sports world. Since several studies have shown that CBD offers all sorts of benefits, it’s become increasingly accepted by athletes and athletic associations around the world.
While CBD is a cannabinoid like THC, it doesn’t have any psychoactive properties. This means that after taking CBD oil or consuming a gummy, you won’t feel high or overly euphoric, common side effects of taking CBD. Instead, you’ll feel a sense of calmness and relaxation. And of course, there are all sorts of invisible yet notable differences that you’ll feel internally.
Keep reading to learn why athletes should try CBD as a way to boost performance on the field as well as to improve overall health.
How CBD Can Benefit Athletes
CBD can be taken in many different ways, including edibles, capsules, oils, and even topical options such as creams and balms. As a daily supplement, CBD can improve performance, optimize muscle functions, and speed up the body’s ability to recover after strenuous activity.
Here are some of the top benefits that CBD can offer athletes.
Reduced Stress & Anxiety
Being an athlete can be stressful. From long days and nights of training to traveling to different places for competitions, there’s a lot that can leave the mind and body stressed and anxious. High levels of stress and anxiety not only impact one’s mental state, but these factors impact physical health as well.
Too much stress and anxiety can make it much harder to train. It can also impact performance, which can be detrimental during a game.
CBD can help to ward off the impacts of stress and anxiety. When taken consistently, CBD is able to boost anti-stress hormones and chemicals in the brain while calming those that cause anxiety.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll always want to purchase from a brand that’s well known in the industry. When you buy from a trusted brand, there’s a much lower risk that you’ll be buying a low-quality product.
This is why it’s so important to research before buying any CBD product. You can use a CBD review site, such as CBDGrade, to learn everything there is to know about some of today’s top industry brands. The more you know about a brand, the better.
Improved Recovery
Daily aches and pains are no stranger to most athletes. Continued strenuous activity takes a toll on the body physically. But, being in pain can also impact performance.
CBD is a great supplement for athletes who want to speed up and improve their recovery. CBD has very effective anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate bone, joint, and muscle pain that can keep an athlete from feeling their best.
Whether you’re dealing with a muscle strain, cramps, or a bruised bone, CBD can be used to help you recover faster so that you feel better sooner.
Better Sleep
There are a lot of factors that impact performance. One of those factors is getting enough high quality sleep at night. When your body lacks sleep, you’re more likely to experience all sorts of unwanted effects, including:
- Feeling off balance
- Inability to focus
- Fatigue
- Lack of energy
Mentally, a lack of sleep is known to cause mood swings and even anxiety and depression. For athletes that find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, CBD may be just what’s needed.
Look for a CBD product that contains melatonin, the body’s natural hormone that helps to regulate the sleep/wake cycle. When you get the sleep your mind and body need, you’ll find that you not only feel rested, but that you feel energetic. You’ll also notice that your physical performance will be heightened.
Strengthened Immune System
No one wants to get sick right before a big game or competition. CBD has shown to have immune-boosting properties, which makes your body more resistant to infections and stress. When your body is healthy internally, you’ll find that you’re able to perform much better.
Quality, Legal CBD Is a Must
Now that you know how CBD can benefit you as an athlete, you may be more than ready to give the substance a try. But, there are some things you’ll want to know before hopping on the CBD train.
First, most CBD products contain trace amounts of CBD. This means that you’ll need to be especially careful when buying CBD. While there are products made with CBD isolate, which is the purest form of CBD, others are made with full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD.
No matter the type of CBD that you decide to take, what’s most important is quality. Athletes don’t want to run the risk of taking a product that contains high levels of THC because of mislabeling or a lack of testing.
THC is a banned substance, so athletes need to ensure that the CBD they’re using contains little to no THC. In the U.S., all legal CBD products must contain no more than 0.3% THC. This is a trace amount that won’t have any effects, and shouldn’t appear on a drug test.
However, just because a product says that it contains a certain amount of THC doesn’t mean that it’s true. The only way to confirm what a product actually contains is with lab testing. When a product is tested, the lab creates what’s known as a certificate of analysis (COA).
A COA offers all of the in-depth information about a product’s ingredients, including how much CBD and THC it contains, along with the existence of any other compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, and potentially harmful ingredients.
Would you consider taking CBD to improve your performance as an athlete? Share your thoughts below.
