Being an athlete sounds cool, but the life of an athlete is not easy. They have to put in a lot of physical hard work to achieve their goals; thus, their joints are under significant compression mostly. Sometimes, the supporting ligaments and tendons deal with the pressure; other times, they give up. It results in muscle soreness, tears, soft tissue damage, and whatnot. Traditional analgesics have numerous side effects; NSAIDs are painkillers that have the potential to destroy organs when used consistently. Opioids may further lead to some addiction that is not easy to wear off. Thus, workout freaks are now discovering the scope of CBD for athletes.
However, people still wonder if there is some truth to CBD benefits for athletes. Their curiosity to explore a risk-free option that can less or more improve any wear and tear makes sense. Sit back; we have a lot to unfold for you to enjoy the best choice.
Introduction to CBD:
Cannabidiol is one of the countless discovered and hidden Cannabinoids from Cannabis. Cannabinoids don't only come from the plants; you may wonder to know that they already exist in the body. A proper Endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the body helps the Cannabinoids perform their action.
CBD has been wrongly associated with Marijuana for a long time because of their common origin. That's why this miraculous gift from nature has been on the list of prohibited products for a long time. Nonetheless, the laws couldn't resist the goodness of CBD, and ultimately researchers were set on analyzing the CBD. The results were stunning; CBD was not psychoactive, unlike THC. Therefore, it came out to be a perfect way to reap the benefits of Cannabis without getting high.
Moreover, CBD pushes people towards better focus and alertness, unlike THC, which sometimes makes a person dizzy. Consumer reports and research have shown that CBD might be a fantastic product that may help the ECS in its daily job to regulate various physical and mental functions. Nonetheless, our focus is only the physical well-being in this write-up.
This introduction is just the tip of the iceberg; we need to dive deeper to find the profound realities. Let's get started!
CBD and Sports: Is CBD Legal for Athletes?
The United States anti-doping agency removed CBD from the list of prohibited items. Their Marijuana FAQ page mentions all the rules regarding CBD. The title "Marijuana FAQ" doesn't mean that all components of Cannabis were removed; only CBD made it out of the list of prohibited items. All other psychoactive products of Cannabis like THC and Marijuana were banned, whether obtained from a natural source or synthesized in the laboratory.
WADA set the allowed amount of THC to 150 nanograms per milliliter as compared to the 15 nanograms per milliliter before. The increased threshold ensured that only the in-competition consumption is detected in the drug test.
Any CBD product with a THC value less than 0.3% is legal under federal laws; however, legal terms may differ for athletes and non-athletes. The best approach is to check your state laws before purchasing to ensure further precaution.
CBD Basics: What does the Research Say?
Scientists are still burning the midnight oil to find out how CBD works in our bodies and what it does to improve our quality of life. They have done enough research to find out about the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in the body that modulates the function of Cannabinoids already present in the body.
Naturally occurring Endocannabinoids, I.e., EAE and 2-AG; these Cannabinoids bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body. Synapse occurs, and the release of certain neurotransmitters declines. CB1 usually impacts the functions of the central nervous system while CB2 receptor is responsible for the regulation of immune system. These receptors-specific effects are mainly due to the location of receptors.
Now let's understand what research tells us about the role of ECS in the body. It improves the body functions mainly by influencing homeostasis; keeping the level of the neurotransmitters in check is the actual job! Do vitamin supplements do some magic in the body? No, they enhance the body's vitamin levels for better functioning. The same is the case with CBD supplements; it increases the level of already present endocannabinoids in the body. Doing so improves the functioning of already present cannabinoids.
How does it work for an athlete? Has maintenance of homeostasis anything to do with athletes' performance? Let’s find out.
Pros and Cons of CBD for Athletes:
No matter how effective CBD comes out to be, there are always some pros and cons that athletes must be vigilant about. No product is ever a perfect product, and the effectiveness of every product is conditional. Let's have an overview of these CBD pros and cons for athletes.
Pros of CBD for Athletes:
Better Sleep: Sleep is responsible for boosting the energy in athletes for their games. CBD may support ECS in maintaining homeostasis and thus ensures better sleep in athletes to make them active for the next day's tasks. Better sleep also repairs the damages in the body by activating the healing components. It may help athletes overcome the injuries that hinder their success.
Natural Muscle Recovery: CBD may support the Endocannabinoid system in evading homeostatic abnormalities inside the body. However, the general hypothesis indicates that it does so by speeding up the natural muscle recovery process by maintaining homeostasis.
May Relieve Pulled Muscles: While CBD induces general relaxation in the body, it may locally soothe muscle strain and sprain by activating ECS. Athletes prefer CBD because it is a natural source to achieve results similar to many conventional drugs.
Portability of CBD Products: CBD products usually come in compact containers and bottles, whether CBD oil, CBD gummies, CBD capsules, etc. It is remarkably easier for athletes to carry with them to each adventure and competition.
Option to Choose: Athletes can avail the perks of THC-free CBD products, I.e., Broad-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate. It helps them prevent themselves from getting high, and thus athletes can perform their part with a clear head. It may also keep them from testing positive for a drug test, thus ensuring their participation in big competitions.
Hydration Purposes: Some people may induce CBD oil in juices that offer an extra benefit of additional hydration that maintain and enhance normal body functions. Athletes may even get CBD products infused with supplemental calcium and vitamins that help them strengthen their bones and muscles. That's why some companies have now come up with a particular product line that fulfills the needs of athletes.
Cons of CBD for Athletes:
You might wonder about the cons of CBD for athletes after reading about their fantastic positive outcomes. This section will end your curiosity regarding the cons of CBD for athletes.
Negative Stigma around CBD: Many people still don't understand the difference between CBD and Marijuana. Therefore, CBD enthusiasts may still face some backlash for CBD consumption. Athletes thus don't use CBD because of the fear of being titled "drug addicts." Although people are now more aware, the world needs to come out of the dark.
Movement: Athletes may have to go to different states and countries for game and competition processes. CBD laws are not the same in all states; some airports may not allow you to possess CBD because of their CBD laws and regulations. Thus, it is a problem for athletes that they have to travel a lot, and they can't carry CBD everywhere. Therefore, it will be difficult for them if they start relying on CBD for their needs.
Legality: Not every sport will allow athletes to consume CBD. Authorities have removed CBD from the list of prohibited products. Nonetheless, some sports like National Football League don’t allow consumption of CBD in any form.
Chance of Positive Drug Test: Athletes may get out of a competition because of a positive drug test. Although it is impossible with pure CBD, some companies may not have a sound extraction process. Even their CBD isolate may contain negligible Cannabinoids, making them test positive for the drug. That's why you should always go for a reliable CBD company.
Drug-drug interaction: There have been some reports of a drug interaction. As we have described earlier, CBD messes up with body homeostasis. Metabolism is also a function of homeostasis, and CBD is known to reduce the metabolism of some drugs by influencing the cytochrome P450 system. That's how it inhibits the functioning of some medications. If you are already taking a medicine, you need to check if it reacts with CBD for further precaution.
Potential Benefits of CBD for Athletes:
The current reports and research that have been conducted so far indicate that athletes may gain some potential benefits from CBD. Although the research hasn't yielded any final result yet, athletes are gaining benefits from this natural goodness from the green farms.
If you are a sportsperson or workout enthusiast, CBD is something you must give a shot. It is a risk-free organic product that won't harm you anyway. Furthermore, if your body feels good with CBD, you will forget half your issues.
Alternatives to NSAIDs:
NSAIDs have been the most significant aid for athletes and the general public suffering from occasional pain due to inflammation and many such issues. However, research has found that NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are detrimental to health. Despite being a cause of drug tolerance, their continuous use proved to be havoc on kidneys. Not only can it result in renal failure, but the long-term use came out to be a cause of stroke and heart-related diseases. Therefore, athletes started avoiding it as soon as the valid study results started prohibiting people from overconsumption of these conventional drugs.
Athletes started believing that CBD has NSAID-like effects as it helps ECS keep the body in balance. So, it is possible that CBD might help athletes with their sports or workout-related discomfort. Hence, we can say that researchers are close to declaring CBD as the best and risk-free alternative to NSAIDs.
Alternative to Opioids:
The functions of opioids are similar to those of NSAIDs, but it is somewhat riskier than NSAIDs. You might have heard about opioid addiction; people get addicted to morphine and similar products, and there is usually no way back. In 2016, opioid was the cause of more than 42000 deaths in the United States, per the CDC.
However, CBD has excellent potential to help partly through the Endocannabinoid system and partly through enhancing the effects of other medications. Thus, little relief through CBD is a better option if you think that you won't be able to get rid of opioid addiction later.
May Reduce Inflammation:
Inflammation is a normal immune process; athletes usually mistake hypertrophy for inflammation as they begin their careers. A slight inflammation is nothing to worry about, as it might be the effort of muscles to adapt themselves to cope with the movements and strength required for the game.
However, sometimes it may be excessive because of the extra load on the muscles and joints. Such an inflammation makes movement difficult and also slows down recovery. CBD interacts with CB2 receptors that may signal down the immune response. However, the scientific studies are not enough to validate this effect so far.
May Settle your Gut:
Any stress and burden on nerves may cause severe gastrointestinal disturbance most of the time. Thus, it is a crucial setback for athletes. The resulting discomfort may make them lose the race.
Another reason behind gastrointestinal discomfort is the intestinal disorder that follows a heavy workout. CBD may tackle both issues as GIT has both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Scientists don't have much to claim about this effect of CBD yet. Athletes need to look for other solutions if the gut disturbance is due to overheating during exercise or dehydration.
May Improve the Sleep Quality:
As discussed earlier, CBD may help athletes with better sleep. Research shows that it does so by increasing the amount of adenosine in the body by inhibiting its reuptake. Increased adenosine makes a person feel calmer, and thus it is easy for him to fall asleep.
Better and peaceful sleep helps an athlete perform his tasks with increased energy, focus, and alertness. Contrarily, a sleep-deprived athlete will only feel tired and exhausted.
Might help with stress performance anxiety:
Although CBD may potentially be helpful for those who need help with all body issues by interacting with ECS, we are discussing a different aspect here. Performance anxiety hits most candidates before they have to go for the competition; it is the fear of failure.
This fear can cause a significant decline in their performance. You might have heard about stage performers who take propranolol tablets before going to stage to control their abnormal heartbeat and anxiety. The same is the case with CBD; it may potentially help athletes overcome their fear and stress regarding failure when taken before the competition.
THCV for Energy Appetite Reduction:
THCV is also a non-psychoactive component that may be a part of Full-spectrum CBD oil. It may reduce the appetite and increase satiety. Thus, an athlete doesn't overeat and stays fit for their performance. Furthermore, it may increase the body's energy levels despite reducing appetite.
When should Athletes take CBD?
Most people think that the purpose of CBD is to treat health conditions that is not true. However, one may take it to enhance his overall sports performance and life quality. It's the choice of the athletes when they want to consume CBD.
Consuming CBD on coming across a muscle pull or any other sports injury is highly desirable for most athletes to ensure better sports recovery. However, the wiser ones religiously consume CBD to improve their sports performance even without facing any injury.
We recommend using CBD regularly and especially before the performance, to ace the game with better focus and a clear head.
Will CBD show up on a Drug test?
Remember that a drug test doesn't mean to find any CBD in your system; it's THC that it looks for. There are minimal to zero chances of positive results of drug tests if you have been consuming CBD isolate from a reliable source. On the other hand, consuming Full-spectrum CBD may allow some THC in your body. Although the amount of THC in such a case is negligible, we can never be sure if a drug test will somehow overlook it or not.
Best CBD Products for Athletes:
You may wonder where to find the best product for athletic activity among hundreds of CBD stores. Don't worry; you have got our back. Here is an overview of CBD products that are best for athletic training.
Best CBD Oil for Athletes:
Kenji CBD oil is a vegan-friendly, USDA certified organic, and lab-tested product that ensures the body's overall wellness. Its negligible THC concentration will help you experience an entourage effect without causing any psychoactive effect.
Best CBD Capsules for Athletes:
Another hit product of KENJI CBD for athletes is our CBD softgel capsule. It is a vegan-friendly product that is easy to carry on the go. Thus, athletes can carry and avail themselves anywhere to kick away all their exhaustion and tiredness.
Best CBD Gummies for Athletes:
We have come up with USDA certified organic CBD gummies that provide the athlete with a fantastic taste and physical and mental well-being. You may check out all-natural and vegan-friendly CBD at our website to verify the authenticity of our product.
Best CBD Balm for Athletes:
Kenji CBD offers a roll-on CBD balm that an athlete can carry and use anywhere without worrying about a drug test. It may provide some calm and relief to the pulled or injured muscles.
Best CBD Salve for Athletes:
Kenji CBD muscle salve comes in a container and can be used like an ointment or topical gel. We believe it to be the best CDB salve out there because of its soothing effects on muscles. None of our product manufacturing processes involves animal testing.
How to use CBD? What is the perfect CBD Dosage?
For general wellness, one may use CBD oil in food or directly. The regular consumption of CBD capsules and gummies also serves the same purpose. Nonetheless, things become different in case of muscle pull or other issues that cause local discomfort. The best you can do in such a situation is to apply CBD balm or CBD salve topically on the affected part. Sublingual use of CBD oil or tincture may also yield quick results in similar scenarios.
There is no perfect or average CBD dosage; CBD dosage varies in different people because of their body weight, health condition, and sensitivity of the body to CBD. The smallest CBD dosage may not improve a person's sleep, while the exact dosage may do wonders for others.
The "Start low and go slow" technique will help you figure out your perfect CBD dosage. Start with a dosage as low as 10 mg and work your way up until out finding your sweet spot.
Side Effects of CBD:
There are no known severe risks related to CBD; some minor side effects have been reported. These side effects include dizziness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, headache, and upset stomach. It may also cause fatigue and reduced appetite if consumed unchecked. It interacts with certain drugs like blood thinners to reduce their functioning; thus, we must be vigilant about this drawback.
Conclusion:
There are only a few health benefits of CBD that are sufficiently backed up by scientific studies. However, the consumer reports are so satisfactory that it is inevitable for athletes to give a shot at this wonderful product. They may naturally increase your athletic performance through better physical and mental well-being. The cherry on the top, their healing process may accelerate triple-fold.
We have stocked all the products that can make the life of an athlete easier and more fun. What are you waiting for? Visit our website now and shoot your shot before we go out of stock.
References:
Medical cannabis for orthopedic patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: does the evidence support its use? - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7333482/
Marijuana FAQ | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/marijuana-faq/
wada_2020_english_prohibited_list_0.pdf (Wada-ama.org). https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/wada_2020_english_prohibited_list_0.pdf
The Endocannabinoid System and Cannabidiol's Promise for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6390812/
Cannabidiol and Sports Performance: a Narrative Review of Relevant Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7338332/
A Balanced Approach for Cannabidiol Use in Chronic Pain - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7204604/
Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023045/
Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series - PMC (nih.gov). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
Does CBD Show Up on a Drug Test? | Popular Science (popsci.com). https://www.popsci.com/sponsored-post/does-cbd-show-up-on-a-drug-test-guide-and-best-cbd-products/
Cannabidiol (CBD): What we know and what we don't - Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476
