When thinking about CBD users, what comes to mind? For many of us, we tend to think of a wellness advocate, yoga teacher or holistic herbalist. However, CBD has managed to sneak its way into a surprising amount of communities.
Did you know that there is countless athletes all over the world who use this compound with the motive to improve their performance? Yes, you heard that right-even athletes can benefit massively from the use of Cannabidiol… But how?
In this article, we will go over why it is beneficial for athletes and a few famous individuals who publicly rave about the positive effects it has had on their careers.
What is CBD?
Essentially, CBD (AKA cannabidiol) is one of over 100 cannabinoids found in both the cannabis and hemp plant. This compound is non-psychoactive, meaning it will not get you high and is legal in most places.
How does CBD benefit athletes?
To make things simple, I have sectioned different benefits that specifically improve the career of an athlete.
Pain
This one is pretty self-explanatory. It is no surprise that athletes are often in a lot of physical pain. This can be from overexertion, injuries, over-compensation, etc. CBD works as a powerful anti-inflammatory, combating pain in almost any area of the body!
Stress
The constant pressure to succeed and do your best likely comes with a lot of stress. CBD works directly with the central nervous system, calming, relaxing, and relieving tension in the body. This can help with minimizing stress for athletes.
Recovery (sleep)
This helpful cannabinoid also works as an amazing recovery aid! When it comes to joint health, CBD is your best friend as an athlete. Not only can it help treat joint issues, but it can also prevent joint damage! Other CBD balms & lotions are also great for physical scratches, mat burn, heat/sweat rash, cuts and all the things that come with training and competing.
Sleep & Brain Function
Cannabidiol oil can improve REM sleep, which is when your brain stores whatever it is you learned that day and all the memories you created. This is your brains ‘download’ mode for important data. This is extremely vital for an athlete that is constantly working and perfecting their performance. Not to mention that your brains recovery happens each night while you are sleeping. In order to have a high-functioning body, your brain must be functioning highly, as well!
Wellbeing
Considering how great supplementing cannabidiol is for things like anxiety relief, stress, depression, and sometimes even PTSD, it would only make sense that it improves wellbeing in general. When it comes to an athlete that uses CBD, most of them report that it helps increase their sense of wellbeing, which is essential for athletes.
Athletes that use CBD
Although there is a long list of athletes that use CBD, here is a short list of a few of them.
Mike Tyson – Heavyweight boxer
Perhaps the most well-known athlete on our list. Tyson was the very first heavyweight boxer to hold WBA, WBC and IBF titles all at the same time! He was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990!
Not only is he one of the most famous boxers on the planet, he is also one of the most vocal voices for CBD in the sports community. His reason for CBD usage is for enhancing his training. He has also stated multiple times that it is useful for before and after fights. He has been a public supporter of CBD and cannabis for years. He even has his own legal marijuana farm that grows and sells cannabis products!
Megan Rapinoa – Football legend
Exceptional football player, feminist icon and CBD enthusiast… She does it all! Her career really took off back in 2004 when she participated in the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. She has competed on teams across the globe where she has been widely praised for her superb leadership in her performance in the US Women’s National Team where they took home gold in the 2012 Olympics as well as the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Rapinoa has openly spoken about the advantages CBD oil has given her, working as a healthy and natural method to maintain wellbeing during the stress and pressure of training/competing. She has also discussed the importance of changing general pain management in sports.
Nate Diaz – Mixed Martial Artist
His name rings familiar in the ears of many UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) watchers. He is a lightweight fighter with 30 fights under his belt and 19 wins on his record.
You may know him from his most famous fights which included Ray Maynard, Connor McGregor, and Donald Cerrone; the latter fight breaking the records for pay-per-view in the UFC! Although talking about his love for CBD and THC has gotten him in trouble with his contract, he has always continued to speak up about the positive applications of CBD and Cannabis in general. Diaz personally uses CBD primarily for wellbeing and performance enhancement.
Closing Thoughts:
Cannabidiol is such a versatile compound that can benefit so many different lifestyles from stay at home mums to pet dogs and cats, to famous record-holding UFC fighters! What can’t this compound do? If you are an athlete and want to start your CBD journey, I urge you to do so!
Do lots of research and make sure (if you are competing) that you have been given the go-ahead to introduce CBD into your training/competing routine without getting in trouble. Cannabidiol is a safe and a (so far) risk-free compound, therefore, trying it is completely safe.
Happy training!
