With the Olympics taking centre stage at the moment (come on, Team GB!), what better time than right now to consider how CBD products could potentially help athletes of all abilities recover from their training regimes, whether they workout for fun and fitness, or whether they want to compete professionally in their chosen sport.
Increasing numbers of professional athletes are now turning to cannabidiol (CBD), which is a hemp-derived compound that has been hailed from all sorts of quarters as being amazing for addressing a variety of ailments, everything from stress and anxiety to pain management and appetite control.
Because of its association with THC, which is the psychoactive compound in cannabis and what produces the feeling of ‘being high’, the topic of CBD and its usage is a highly contentious one – but rest assured that it is entirely legal in the UK, as long as it’s pure cannabidiol… that which has been derived from EU-approved industrial hemp and which contains less than 0.2 per cent THC.
In 2017, the World Anti-Doping Agency added CBD to its approved list of supplements, which means that elite athletes are permitted to use it if they so desire, since it isn’t viewed as being performance enhancing.
A statement from the organisation read: “CBD is not prohibited. However, athletes should be aware that some CBD oils and tinctures extracted from plants may also contain THC and other cannabinoids that could result in a positive test for a prohibited cannabinoid.”
Speaking to Euronews Next, Mike Barnes – professor of neurology and chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society – explained that CBD does have calming properties and can be used to ease general anxiety, which athletes can find especially useful.
He went on to say: “There’s stress in sports participation, so reducing anxiety can be very helpful both for them and, of course, the general public.”
Whether you’re a professional athlete or someone who trains for fun, it’s possible that CBD could help you in a variety of ways. Many use it as a pain reliever, which could help you with your training regimes and get you back to exercise quicker by relieving the symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness.
In fact, CBD is becoming increasingly popular among sportsmen and women as a post-workout supplement, because they believe it has anti-inflammatory properties that help muscles recover more quickly after they’ve finished training.
It may even help you enjoy a better night’s sleep, which is also important for sports performance, as your muscles need the rest to fully recover. Some believe that CBD can help them fall asleep quicker and also enjoy deeper sleep once they do nod off.
So, as you can see, it could certainly be worth trying out CBD to find out if it works for you and helps you hit your exercise goals. Check out what we’ve got in stock and give it a whirl!