Whether or not you are an athlete, you might be familiar with the struggles that athletes and sportspersons go through on a regular basis. Falls and injuries are common in the field of sport. But attentive care is necessary to get an athlete back into the game! A variety of pain medications and performance enhancement products exist in the market today. However, CBD has recently made its way into the sporting world and is being sought after by a number of athletes in the recent years. Let’s find out what makes CBD so interesting for athletes.
CBD For Athletes
Athletes who engage in intense exercise and sports such as soccer often suffer from severe pain, muscle cramps, and inflammation caused by overuse of certain parts of their body. CBD-enriched topical rubbing combined with other natural ingredients can produce topical effects. Such funds have a minimum of side effects (which are mainly an individual reaction of the body).
CBD oil may also helps to our body’s natural endocannabinoid system and assists with maintaining balance also known as homeostasis. Long term taxing of the CNS can reduce muscle contraction, eventually reducing strength.
The full active functions of the endocannabinoid system have the potential to influence the restoration of bone and muscle tissue. And phytocannabinoids, like CBD, are able to improve endocannabinoid bonds for proper functioning.
CBD Dose For Athletes
When it comes to CBD, there is never a standard dose recommended for athletes or anyone in general. This is because CBD products aren’t well regulated like other products available in the market. Hence, the quantity of CBD present in a particular product is inconsistent and can vary depending on the type of product that an individual chooses to consume. Also, the same dose can affect different people differently.
This is why most companies that manufacture CBD products often advice people to start with a low dose and slowly increase the dosage based on the effects experienced by the user.
The same applies to athletes. CBD effects on athletes mainly depends on the manner in which CBD interacts with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system. Although there are various methods of consuming CBD, most athletes take CBD either orally or by applying it topically in the form of ointments. If taken orally, the dosage of CBD for athletes as recommended by most experts is around 300 milligrams.
Some CBD products do come with recommended dosage guides. However, there are various other factors such as age, body weight, body chemistry and underlying health conditions that need to be considered before consuming a CBD product. If an athlete is new to CBD, then he or she is advised to start with smaller doses and avoid using it before workouts or competitions until they grow comfortable with its effects.
Hence, keeping a track of how much CBD you consume every day can help you find out whether or not your symptoms are improving. This way, you can increase or decrease your dosage based on how the CBD is reacting with your symptoms.
CBD Overdose
Also, for every new CBD user, a common question that arises is whether it is possible to take too much CBD and if doing so can cause any harm or discomfort. While not many studies have been performed on the toxicity of CBD, it has been found that even consuming doses as high as 1,500 mg per day doesn’t cause any major adverse reaction in humans. We strongly discourage increasing your CBD dosage unnecessarily.
Best CBD Products For Athletes
Several big names in the sporting world become pro-CBD and endorse a number of CBD brands. Sportsmen and women who come from diverse backgrounds ranging from golf to MMA have gone on to work with CBD companies in order to publicly stand in support of and endorse CBD products and brands which have been helping them deal with their problems since years.
There are a wide range of CBD products specially designed for athletes that are available in the market today. The most common CBD products that are consumed by athletes include CBD oil and tinctures.
While some athletes apply topical CBD infused lotions onto sore muscles, others prefer consuming the compound orally either in the form of edibles such as gummies and capsules or sublingually in the form of drops. CBD pain relief topicals and rubs are perfect examples of CBD infused products that are ideal for targeted application and can potentially provide pain relief by being rapidly absorbed through the skin.
CBD sports drinks have also become increasingly popular among athletes. Packaged drinks contain the ideal dose and are convenient for consumption while on the go. CBD drinks may have a plethora of benefits. Unlike energy drinks which contain several dehydrating agents like caffeine, taurine, soda and excess quantities of sugar, sports drinks are more hydrating and contain comparatively lesser quantities of sugar. Sports drinks containing CBD may offer additional benefits and come in various types.
Legality Of CBD For Sport
Unlike THC, CBD is not considered an illegal substance. In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) both excluded CBD from its list of banned substances. However, THC continues to remain on the list.
Most CBD products need to have less that 0.3% THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis in order for them to be legally acceptable for commercial use. In case a product contains more quantities of THC, it may result in a positive drug test, which can in turn have a negative impact on an athlete’s career.
Hence, the place from where the CBD products are sourced greatly matters. It is important that competitive athletes consider purchasing their products from trusted suppliers who can give them a proof of quality.
Possible Side Effects
Although CBD has been proven to be non-psychoactive and non-addictive, some people have reported individual negative side effects after using CBD products. However, negative effects of CBD are quite rare and limited and short term.
Another negative effect of CBD consumption is its ability to interact with various medications such as benzodiazepines, heart medications, antidepressants and certain macrolide antibiotics. This is because the family of liver enzymes responsible for breaking down medications are in fact the same enzymes which help to breakdown CBD. CBD interacts with medications by either inhibiting or inducing the enzymes which are responsible for their breakdown.
Conclusion
Given CBD’s potential properties, the compound has gained numerous fans in the sporting world. Some examples of famous athletes who use and promote CBD products include heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, female soccer player Megan Rapinoe and professional rugby player George Kruis.
Hence, whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, CBD may support your performance. However, it is always best to be well aware of both the compound’s risks and benefits before attempting to use any CBD products.
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