7 Health Benefits of CBD Oil for athletes
If you’re an athlete you should be taking CBD oil. Keep reading for 7 health benefits of CBD oil for athletes.
Sport-related injuries have reached 8.6 million incidents a year. And as this number grows, so does the need for treatment and prevention.
The old way of managing the health of athletes by using over-the-counter drugs have proved to be harmful and ineffective for long-term use. Injuries persist as they only cover up the symptoms while causing harm to the body.
More and more people have been trying CBD oil and products as the natural alternative to sports therapy and as an overall health supplement.
Read on to found out how athletes are using CBD to treat injuries and help prevent them.
How Does CBD Work?
CBD influences your endocannabinoid system and receptors connected to its neurons that release certain chemicals in your brain. It also binds to particular receptors like serotonin and fatty acid proteins.
To put it simply, CBD naturally triggered activity in the brain that leads to a number of benefits that maintain balance in the body.
This is especially useful for athletes whose bodies change significantly during intense stress and serious injuries when playing sports or working out.
1. Manage Pain
One of the biggest concerns for athletes comes when they are in pain, from minor aches to serious injuries. CBD for athletes manages pain caused by sprains, sore muscles, and inflammation.
The great part about using CBD for pain is that it’s not addictive and can be used consistently for long periods.
When taking other medications, speak to your doctor first as CBD can react with other drugs, making them nonreactive or have side effects.
2. Decrease Inflammation
Inflammation occurs daily when the bones and muscles strain from heavy, quick movements. The advantages of CBD include its powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
When joints become inflamed, pain ensues as well as serious long-term consequences that can lead to the development of cancer cells.
Taking a natural anti-inflammatory like CBD decreases inflammation caused by overstimulating your immune system when injuries occur.
3. Surpass Snacking
When people ask ‘what is CBD’, the most common comparison is its cousin cannabinoid, THC. However, CBD acts completely different than THC.
The main difference is that CBD does not get you high and therefore suppresses your appetite rather than giving you the munchies.
So, if you are trying to lose weight and gain muscle, CBD helps you stick to a strict diet and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
4. Calms the Nerves
Preparing for a high-stakes game causes anxiety for even the most professional athletes. The benefits of CBD relaxes your mind and body without compromising your energy levels.
It can even soothe the paranoia caused by THC-based marijuana. CBD is the best alternative to prescription drugs because they have limited and very mild side effects.
5. Promotes Solid Sleep
Recuperating after a long game is essential to replenish your mind and rejuvenate your muscles. But, sometimes it is difficult to bring your energy down after all the excitement involved with the physical competition.
CBD treats insomnia and mild cases of restlessness by replenishing the chemical adenosine, which is responsible for helping you fall asleep faster.
No more restless nights and tired mornings when you take CBD on a regular basis.
6. Creates Endurance
Pre-workout shakes and energy drinks are packed with caffeine and sugar. This means you might get a boost of energy, but it is soon followed by a crash. CBD naturally provides energy that lasts.
You can work out and still feel good afterward without the withdraw and unhealthy side effects of sugar and caffeine.
7. Boosts the Immune System
All of these benefits lead to one thing: a healthier immune system. By sleeping well, recovering efficiently, and maintaining balanced energy levels, your body doesn’t get sick as often.
Plus, CBD has antioxidants to protect you from disease and infection. By taking CBD regularly, you can keep up on your overall health and not miss a game or training session.
How Do Athletes Use CBD?
CBD comes in a variety of forms and can be used daily with minimal side effects. Some popular CBD products include oils, tinctures, capsules, lotions, and edibles.
Athletes also use CBD after an injury to treat pain and inflammation. It is slowly taking the place of dangerous and addictive opioids and other pain medication. Even though it may not be as powerful, it is a safer and healthier option.
Choosing and buying CBD couldn’t be easier for athletes since it is completely legal in the U.S. You can buy it online, visit a dispensary, or even visit your favorite health shop or grocery store.
Tips for Buying and Using CBD
Quality matters for any type of substance that you put in your body, so you want to make sure that you buy legitimate products from a licensed seller.
Look for reviews and testing requirements for their products as well as organic ingredients. It is best to buy from a company that is as transparent as possible. They should show their distribution network and lab testing data online.
Not all CBD products treat the same ailments. There are many strains and concentrates that can affect the body differently. Read the label to find out how much CBD in milligrams the concentrate contains.
Most companies will explicitly tell you what the product treats. But, you can choose the application method depending on how you will use it. Capsules are great as a daily supplement, but lotions may target sore muscles.
Use these other tips to buy the best CBD products for athletes.
CBD is great for all amateur athletes, I use it on my own a lot in form of tinctures and balms but you need to remember that if you are a professional, you should avoid Full Spectrum products (they are far better than isolates) as they contain small amounts of THC and might make you fail the drug test.