As an athlete you may have stumbled across the letters CBD but, while you may have seen it, you may not know how you and your career could benefit from it.
You may be wondering what the side effects are, how you use it, and how much you should use. This is why, in this blog, we will discuss everything you need to know about CBD as an athlete.
What is CBD?
Immediately, you may begin to worry that CBD comes from cannabis but CBD, or Cannabidiol, is only one of more than 100 chemical compounds, called cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant, Cannabis Sativa (Healthline, 2021). It is commonly used for various common ailments including pain relief and inflammation and has many of the same potential benefits as THC, without the psychoactive effects.
Different forms of CBD
CBD can be overwhelming when you first look into it. From full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate to gummies, oils and topical treatments, CBD is a versatile substance and has a wide range of potential uses.
According to Medical Daily, the 4 most popular forms of CBD are:
- CBD Oil – the most popular form of CBD which may also be referred to as CBD tincture
- CBD Gummies – edible sweets infused with CBD
- CBD Capsules – CBD in pill form, most commonly a gel-capsule infused with CBD.
- CBD Topicals – typically come in the form of creams, lotions, and salves.
Health Benefits
Pain relief
According to ‘Cannabis and Pain: A Clinical Review’, Cannabis has been used to treat pain since as far back as 2900 B.C. However, recently, scientists have discovered that it is the CBD found in Cannabis that is responsible for its pain-relieving effects.
A study found on PubMed, discovered that CBD may be especially effective for nerve pain and back pain when used on its own which may be essential for athletes.
Healthy Hearts
The use of CBD had been linked with several heart and circulatory system benefits, including the ability to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol and maintain a healthy weight.
Although CBD is not a cure for heart failure, there is evidence to suggest that it may prevent further damage and reduce the risk of heart failure as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties (Very Well health, 2021).
Insomnia
According to Sleep Foundation, there is also preliminary research that suggests CBD can help with a number of sleep disorders, including insomnia, REM sleep behaviour disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness disorder. So if you have been suffering due to sleepless nights, it may be worth you trying out some CBD products.
Possible Side Effects
As with most things, while there are numerous health benefits to using CBD, there may also be possible side effects. Although they may be mild, we believe that it’s best to know some of the side effects of CBD and weigh up how they may affect your career before you consider using it.
Some side effects of using CBD include:
- Dry Mouth
- Reduced appetite
- Fatigue
- diarrhea
- changes in weight
Unfortunately, there are still a lot of uncertainties about CBD and how it affects athletes, however, one major benefit for athletes is its effectiveness for pain relief.
If you would like to learn more about the general benefits of CBD oil, head to our blog here. Alternatively, have a look through our collection of blogs here.