The use of CBD in Sports / Sport Recovery

CBD in Sports: Athletes put a lot of stress on their bodies as they go through various strenuous workouts to improve their athletic performance.

An athlete’s daily routine involves a combination of explosive exercises & adequate rest. These training sessions cause muscle adaptations & enhanced performances over time.

But besides this, training stress also causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibers, and athletes must take the post-workout recovery seriously before the next workout session. In search of methods for sports recovery, people are curious about how CBD can help with post-workout recovery without the side effects associated with opioids & pain killers.

Read on to discover the importance of CBD in Sports Recovery. CBD in Sports:

CBD in Sports: what is CBD?

CBD or Cannabidiol is a naturally derived compound from the cannabis plant, which has gained popularity due to numerous reasons. Among over 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, only CBD & THC are proven for effective symptom management. What marks the difference between THC & CBD are their properties. CBD is non-psychoactive (doesn’t make you high), whereas THC is psychoactive.

Interestingly, cannabinoids exist in our bodies and help in modulating neuronal activity. Endocannabinoids bind with the CB1 & CB2 receptors & inhibits the release of certain excitatory neurotransmitters. Besides this, these receptors also affect the central nervous system to reduce pain, inflammation, etc. When you ingest CBD post-workout, it helps bring back neurotransmitters under control & maintain homeostasis.

One doesn’t have to necessarily smoke it to reap benefits as CBD products are now available in a plethora of forms like tinctures, gummies, oil, and even chocolate bars. Alternatively, one can buy incredibly pure seeds & cultivate cannabis plants at the comfort of their home and reap similar benefits. CBD in Sports

CBD in Sports:

CBD for Improving Sleep Quality

The critical aspect of recovery is sleep. During sports activities, we push our bodies, which causes stress & microtears in our muscles. These microtears heal while we are in a deep sleep. Quality sleep of 7-8 hrs every day can help our bodies by:

– Restoring essential proteins like actin, myosin

– Removing damaged cellular debris

– Stimulating the growth of new muscle fibres

Unlike sleeping pills, which can be addictive, various researches show that CBD can aid in achieving restful night sleep. Besides that, CBD can also help in reducing cortisol levels, which negatively impacts muscle recovery.

CBD for Muscle Recovery

As discussed above, the breaking down of muscle fibers is vital for growth & recovery. Post-workout you might experience inflammation or Delayed Onset Muscle soreness (DOMS). This inflammation is an indicator that your muscle requires recuperation. But, when tissue is not recovered due to excess inflammation, then you are at risk of injury due to delayed immune response.

Thankfully, CBD exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, which helps loosen muscles by decreasing muscle spasticity. Additionally, CBD also helps reduce excessive creatinine & nitrogen levels, which prevents severe complications like rhabdomyolysis.

CBD in Sports: CBD for Gut Health

Apart from sleep, a balanced diet also plays a crucial role in sports recovery. But, what if you have a leaky gut that prevents the absorption of essential minerals & nutrients? Well, CBD can help you with digestive issues. Be it stomach bloating or swelling, CBD oil may help with gut mobility by assisting receptors involving the endocannabinoid system. Studies show that people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have endocannabinoids deficiencies. CBD helps regulate endocannabinoid production & renewal, thus managing debilitating conditions over time.

CBD in Sports: How to Take CBD?

Beyond CBD oils, CBD is available in other forms like capsules, water soluble, and topicals. It’s up to you to choose whether you want to ingest or apply topically for pain relief. To find the perfect dosage for CBD can be tricky. Interestingly, CBD reacts differently for everybody, and dosage depends on a ton of factors like activity level, body weight, the purpose of usage, etc.

It is imperative to know that CBD absorption varies with the mode of delivery. For instance, oil, capsules & edibles take a bit longer to absorb as compared to topical lotions, whereas tinctures when taken sublingually get absorbed swiftly.

The best thing about CBD is that one cannot overdose it even if one takes high doses of up to 1000 mg per day. 5 mg for every 20 pounds of body weight could be a good starting point & work your way up (or down) until you feel relief.

Conclusion

The emergence of CBD could be a significant turning point in how people recover from post-workout stress. It is taking the sports industry by storm with these new investigations and discoveries demonstrating exponential medicinal value. Unlike opioids & NSAIDS, CBD offers profound benefits without the risk of addiction. So, consult your doctor today and swap your traditional anti-inflammatory, sleeping pills with this natural herb to recover faster from your workout.