CBD is making its way into just about everything in recent years—beauty products, recipes, stress-relief practices and more. But what workout and sports nutrition benefits are there to CBD?
As it turns out, there are quite a lot!
Whether you’re a competing athlete or a casual gym-goer, CBD can provide several important benefits to your physical fitness.
CBD Oil for Athletes
Athletes demand a lot from their bodies. Weight training creates small tears in your muscles allowing newer, stronger muscle tissue to grow back in its place. Running creates stress and inflammation in your ankles, knees, and hips. Competitions usually create neurological stress and anxiety.
The list could go on.
Effectively recuperating from these physical feats is paramount to gaining an edge in your sport.
There have been a growing number of advocates for CBD usage to deal with these problems. These CBD supporters include athletes such as the NHL’s Ryan Vandenbussche, David Ahrens of the NFL, and many others.
Not only this, but the growing scientific research on the matter is also very promising!
Is CBD legal in sports?
But what if you’re a competing athlete required to follow anti-doping laws? You’re in luck!
A 2018 ruling from the World Anti-Doping Agency removed cannabidiol (CBD) from its list of banned substances.
You should still take caution with regard to other cannabinoids, however, like THC. CBD is the only cannabinoid which has been excluded from the agency’s prohibited substances list. Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC and other cannabinoid molecules found in hemp and marijuana remain banned.
Rolling Acre’s CBD tinctures are third-party lab verified to only contain up to 0.3% THC making our products safe and reliable for athletes. Such small amounts of THC are very unlikely to test above the threshold used in standard drug tests.
We still recommend that you consult your physician as well as a representative from your sport’s anti-doping organization before using full-spectrum CBD products during a competition. Predicting how much of any cannabinoid might build up in your system over time should be left to the professionals.
More sports drug testing information can be found here.
CBD Potential Benefits for Athletes: Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to physical strain and stress. Some inflammation is good while too much can get in the way of quickly recovering from a strenuous workout.
A scientific review published in 2020 strongly suggests that CBD can be a natural, safe, and effective solution for sports-related inflammation.
The reduction of inflammation that CBD can provide allows your joints and muscles to recover more quickly. This not only will lessen your aches and pains but will also get you ready for your next workout faster.
If you’re a body builder looking to maximize the benefits of your recovery days or a runner trying to keep your joints pain-free, CBD oils just might be the answer you’ve been waiting for.
Neural Inflammation
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD don’t stop with your sore muscles and aching joints.
In the same study, researchers found evidence that CBD can potentially reinforce brain health for athletes who play high contact sports such as football.
The long-term effects of repeated concussions in high impact sports are becoming better understood every day. The research suggests that these impacts can increase aggression as well as the likelihood of developing various mental health issues later in life.
The research suggests that these effects can be mitigated in part by lowering inflammation along the neurons in the brain—a task perfect for CBD.
Rest and Sleep
There are few things as integral in the life of an athlete as a healthy sleep schedule. During sleep, the body does the lion’s share of its healing and recuperative work. Top tennis player, Roger Federer even claims he can’t feel “right” without 11 to 12 hours of sleep a day.
Many have used CBD for sleep with great success. This is due to its apparent ability to increase wakefulness as well as promote sleep depending on the dosage—something called a biphasic effect.
Because of this, an athlete—or anyone for that matter—can cut through their groggy mornings with a low dose of CBD while winding down at night with a higher dose.
A regulated sleep schedule will keep you in the gym or on the field performing at your maximum potential for longer.
Stress Management
Have you ever been the victim of pre-game jitters? Performance anxiety is a legitimate barrier for many athletes. The relaxing effects of regular CBD usage can be an easy, natural fix for game-day nerves.
Take a little CBD before a workout by adding a few drops of a tincture to your breakfast or pre-workout drink. Or you can even add a couple CBD oil drops under your tongue just before hitting the gym to relax.
A relaxed mind and body can increase your performance and give you that edge you’ve been looking for.
What’s the Final Word?
Like with everything cannabis, the research on CBD’s role in athletics is still developing every day. Despite this, everything so far looks incredibly exciting for the CBD-curious athlete!
The benefits of CBD to your workout can keep you feeling more pain-free, help you regulate your sleep, and enhance your workout recovery—some of the most important things for your physical fitness.
To any athletes out there, what are your experiences with CBD workouts? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
