Watching these sports or even performing it is a thrilling experience, but they inevitably come with a few aches and sores in between. Though research on CBD has been limited, individuals have claimed that it helps treat several conditions associated with athletic competition, like joint pain, inflammation, and muscle soreness. Additionally, athletes have claimed that CBD helps in enhancing their performance.
Here, we explore six ways by which CBD can enhance your athletic performance.
CBD May Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Athletes have claimed the CBD can reduce the stress related to training and performance. CBD may relieve anxiety in stressful situations. The best training plan strikes a balance between work and rest. However, the bouts of anticipatory anxiety can squeeze the fun out of your remaining free time
CBD as a daily supplement from online stores like Sunday Scaries and read more about how it might allow athletes to break through previous limitations that might have been induced by stress. Thus, it can help you as an athlete to push yourself to new limits. A key reason for the athletes to focus on CBD is their never-ending need for a solution that can reduce stress while being legal. Pure CBD is the only cannabinoid that is not on the banned drug list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), so it is OK to use CBD as long as it is pure.
CBD Can Improve Focus
Athletes have claimed that CBD has enabled them to improve focus by treating their debilitating conditions. A few of the debilitating conditions that can affect the performance of athletes include insomnia, anxiety, and pain, and CBD can address all these.
Experts have claimed that CBD appears to be good for chronic and acute anxiety. Athletes suffer from anxiety from the pressure to perform in training and competition. Anxiety can present a considerable challenge to competitive athletes. You can also use CBD before intense workouts and matches.
Studies have praised CBD for its properties to minimize anxiety and extinction of fear memories after oral CBD, enhancing sports performance without any mental downsides.
Many athletes have experienced exceptional results with a regular micro dosage of CBD.
CBD Can Give Relief from Pain
Studies have revealed that CBD may be very effective for reducing pain, especially musculoskeletal pain caused by exercise. CBD can also give relief if you have stiff joints. Experts claim that CBD can help to relieve pain effectively for many athletes.
Athletes have been using over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen for years. Long-distance runners are advised to avoid NSAIDs during events and long training sessions due to the increased risk of renal damage. Some athletes have claimed that the pain-relieving effects of CBD can eliminate or reduce the use of NSAIDS for exercise-related pain. And that too with minimal side effects.
CBD Can Reduce Inflammation
Athletes, especially those undergoing intense exercises for demanding sports, are susceptible to pain and inflammation. Intense workouts performed over a long period tend to create tiny tears in muscles.
The body heals these tears once athletes finish their workout. However, if these tears occur repeatedly, they can lead to chronic inflammation, leading to injury and illness over time. Chronic inflammation happens, primarily when athletes perform intense workouts but do not have, or deliberately give, the body’s time to recover back.
CBD can be an effective solution for inflammation and treating pain. Research studies published mentioned that CBD showed positive results for pain and inflammation resulting from arthritis, and the results showed a decrease in pain and inflammation in the subjects.
CBD Can Improve Sleep Pattern
One of the first effects of CBD noticed by new users is the improvement in their pattern of sleep. Better sleep is directly related to better performance. Studies suggest the usage of CBD as specific therapy for sleep disorders. Since intense athletic routines are not always suitable for sleep, this benefit holds an excellent promise for athletes. High-stress level hormones such as cortisol interfere with regular sleep cycles, and CBD can lower these hormones. Many athletes experience disturbances to their sleep-wake cycles. Consequently, they can feel lethargic when they should be energized. As a solution, they end up with excessive coffee or other stimulants that may lead to adrenal stress or nervous system breakdown.
CBD Can Promote Muscle Relaxation
Athletes regularly suffer from cramps and soreness after a grueling workout session. This feeling can stay for days and even weeks. Consequently, the daily workout routine of the athlete gets impacted. In such a scenario, even everyday activities like running or climbing up the stairs become a challenge. CBD contains Delta-limonene and Beta-myrcene, which are two anti-inflammatory agents which act as muscle relaxers. CBD may promote muscle relaxation by influencing a system that stills, quiets, and calms the body down. CBD can be a potent muscle relaxant and can help in cases of muscle spasms and cramps. CBD coupled with foam rolling, icing, and stretching is a standard treatment plan for tendonitis injuries in the knee.
Conclusion
The emergence of CBD marks a significant turning point in how athletes recover from training stress and manage both occasional and chronic pain. Although CBD is not a banned substance for athletes, if it contains a significant amount of THC or other prohibited substances, you are at risk for a doping violation. Therefore, it is necessary to only use trusted brands.