How Is CBD Useful For Athletes?

It is no surprise to see that CBD appeals to a wide range of people. After all, it offers a very wide range of benefits, and everyone has different needs. For today, we will be focusing on the specific needs of athletes. There are several key ways in which CBD can be useful for those who are involved in regular athletic competition, so let's go over a few of the more important ones.

1. CBD Is A Good Anti-Inflammatory

Let's face it; injuries are a normal part of every athlete's life. When you are constantly trying to push your body to the limit, there will always be the danger that you will go too far. When that happens, injury is the most common result. However, people who are competing at a high level become injured, there will invariably be a lot of pressure for them to return. 

We certainly wouldn't advise an athlete to rush their recovery, but we also know that most of them will be eager to return to the field. That's where a good anti-inflammatory medication can be helpful, but a lot of the traditional options (like ibuprofen and acetaminophen) can cause stomach problems after prolonged use. CBD represents a much safer way to soothe inflamed muscles and joints between games. There is plenty of evidence to show that it makes a very effective anti-inflammatory agent.

2. No Need To Worry About Tripping A Drug Test

Any athlete above the little league level is going to be regularly tested for drugs. Because of the problems that have resulted from the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs, this practice is probably not going away anytime soon. Some would argue that the practice is unduly invasive, and we would agree, but we aren't the ones who make those decisions.

There have sometimes been problems for athletes when their medications were mistaken for illegal drugs. For instance, opioid pain medications could easily be mistaken for illegal opiates, and cannabinoid medications have caused similar problems in the past. However, there is good news for athletes that are interested in CBD: The World Anti-Doping Agency (which regulates these things for most sports) has recently removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances.

That being said, there is one little problem here. Many CBD products contain trace amounts of other cannabinoids, and those can be mistaken for Marijuana on a drug test. Thus, we would recommend that athletes use CBD isolate and others that are completely pure. You would, of course, need to avoid the "full-spectrum" and "broad-spectrum" extracts.

3. CBD Is Equally Useful In Topical Form

In many cases, sports injuries are localized in a certain area. Hamstrings, glutes, and shoulder muscles are all frequent victims (although that kind of thing will vary by sport, of course). That's when you need a topical medicine, meaning one that is meant to be applied externally. Creams and lotions are two common examples of external medicines like this. Because of the fact that CBD can be readily absorbed by the skin, it works just as well in topical medications as it does in oral ones.

This provides athletes with a more targeted way to address their injuries. There are even CBD-based sprays that can be quickly applied to any afflicted area. Of course, all of these topical products should be rubbed into the area after application. Otherwise, your skin may not absorb enough CBD to get the job done. Some people report that this kind of treatment also leaves their muscles feeling more flexible.

4. CBD Is A Non-Narcotic Pain Reliever

In addition to its anti-inflammatory benefits, CBD also serves as a mild and non-narcotic pain reliever. As we mentioned earlier, opioid medications can easily cause you to fail a drug test. More importantly, they can expose you to the risk of addiction, which is far worse than most injuries. CBD may not be quite as strong of a pain reliever, but it comes with none of that baggage. 

There are many times when an athlete needs relief from minor aches and pains, particularly in the muscles. That's when CBD, especially the ones from stirlingcbdoil.com can be just enough to deal with the problem. Again, we wouldn't recommend that you chew on a CBD gummy when you have a broken leg, but it is good for mild pain. It works by blocking some of the receptor cells in your brain that cause you to feel pain.

5. CBD Makes A Good Workout Supplement Ingredient

Because it has a tendency to reduce pain, inflammation, and fatigue, it makes sense that some people are beginning to incorporate CBD into workout supplements. In particular, it seems to go well with whey protein, which is probably the most popular protein supplement on the market. We have also seen hempseed protein being incorporated into some fitness products, which helps in the creation of a good amino acid blend.

Conclusion

There are probably other reasons for which athletes might consider the use of CBD, but these seem to be the top five. All in all, the soothing nature of the plant is what gives it a lot of potential for sports medicine. It can do some of the same jobs that traditional medicines do, but with fewer side effects and problems. While the facts here are true to the best of our knowledge, it is important that you consult your doctor before using CBD to treat any medical condition.

This is a guest blog entry.